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JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/johnchinamanathoOOhard 


Chinese  Street. 


JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT 
HOME 


SKETCHES  OF  MEN,  MANNERS 
AND  THINGS  IN  CHINA 


BY  V 

THE  REV.  E.  J.  HARDY,  M.A. 

CHAPLAIN  TO  H.B.M.  FORCES 
AUTHOR  OK  “ HOW  TO  BE  HAPPY  THOUGH  MARRIED  ” 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER’S  SONS 
1 53-1 57  FIFTH  AVENUE 
,9°5 


(All  rights  reserved.) 


Co 


SIR  HENRY  BLAKE,  G.C.M.G., 

A FORMER  JUST  AND  ENLIGHTENED  GOVERNOR  OF  HONG  KONG, 
FROM  WHOM  AND  FROM  LADY  BLAKE  I RECEIVED 
MUCH  INFORMATION  AND  KINDNESS, 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED. 


“ I{  the  time  should  over  come,  as  come  it  may,  when  the 
far-distant  West  comes  into  close  and  practical  competition 
with  tho  patient  Chineso  for  tho  right  to  exist,  one  or  other 
will  be  behindhand  in  the  race,  and  it  is  safe  to  venture  the 
prediction  that  it  will  not  be  tho  Chineso!” — Village  Life  in 
China,  by  Arthur  H.  Smith,  D.D. 

“You  are  all  too  anxious  to  awake  us  and  to  start  us  on  a 
new  road,  and  you  will  do  it ; but  you  will  all  regret  it,  for, 
once  awaked  and  started  we  shall  go  fast  and  far — farther 
than  you  think — much  farther  than  you  want ! ” — W£n  Hsiang 
(a  celebrated  Prime  Minister  of  China). 

“ When  China  is  moved  it  will  change  the  face  of  the  globe.” 
— Napoleon,  at  St.  Helena. 

“To  me  they  are  the  most  remarkable  race  on  earth,  and  I 
have  always  thought  and  still  believe  them  to  be  the  great 
coming  ruler6  of  the  world.” — Lord  Wolseley. 


Preface 


HEN  I wont  to  China  I had  a great  ambition.  It 


was  to  gain  the  distinction  of  not  writing  a book 
on  that  country.  I failed  to  do  this  because  of  the  fascination 
of  the  subject,  and  my  only  excuse  is  that  things  Chinese  are 
so  many  and  so  complicated  that  there  is  room  for  every 
independent  inquirer  and  observer. 

Many  Europeans  live  in  China  for  years  without  learning 
anything  of  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  people.  They  tell 
you  that  these  are  “ beastly,”  and  that  they  take  no  interest 
in  them.  As  for  the  ordinary  globe-trotter,  to  him  it  may 
be  said,  in  the  words  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  “ Thou  seest 
many  things  but  thou  observest  them  not.”  To  take  no 
interest,  however,  in  a nation  that  was  contemporary  with 
ancient  Egypt,  Babylon,  Nineveh,  Greece  and  Rome,  and 
that  has  staying  power  in  it  still,  is  stupid.  Though  stupid 
in  other  respects,  I was  not  in  this,  for  I heard,  read,  and 
observed  everything  I could  about  a people  who  are  always 
peculiar  though  not  always  zealous  of  good  works  during  the 
three  years  and  a half  when  I was  Chaplain  to  the  Forces  at 
Hong  Kong,  and  when  I was  from  time  to  time  on  leave  of 
absence  in  China  proper.  The  villages  in  the  New  Territory, 
where  I often  went  on  military  manoeuvres  and  field-days, 
taught  me  much. 


9 


10 


PREFACE 


It  was  not  necessary  to  solve  the  problem  of  China  or 
to  give  advice  to  the  Foreign  Office,  as  that  has  been  done 
by  every  writer  who  has  spent  two  days  in  Hong  Kong 
and  one  in  Canton.  Only  the  everyday  Celestial  things 
that  interested  and  puzzled  me  when  I first  came  out  have 
been  described.  It  is  a book  for  unlearned  visitors  to  China. 
I have  not  spoken  of  my  work  as  Chaplain  to  the  Forces,  as 
this  has  been  done  in  a former  book — “ Mr.  Thomas  Atkins.” 

Whatever  is  said  of  China — a country  which  is  a hundred 
and  four  times  larger  than  England — will  probably  be  true 
only  of  some  parts.  “ Customs  differ  every  tenth  li,”  and  it 
would  be  impossible  that  a population  as  great  as  that  of  the 
whole  of  Europe  should  all  act  alike. 

To  master  the  Chinese  language  thoroughly  would  require 
“ a head  of  oak,  lungs  of  brass,  nerves  of  steel,  a constitution 
of  iron,  the  patience  of  Job,  and  the  lifetime  of  Methuselah.” 
How  clever  of  the  Chinese  to  be  able  to  speak  to  each  other ! 
I felt  that  unless  Chinese  were  spoken  in  the  other  world  it 
would  be  no  good  in  my  trying  to  learn  it. 

But  even  those  who  know  his  language  cannot  get  a China- 
man to  explain.  Ask  him  why  a thing  is  so  and  so.  He 
answers  that  it  always  has  been  that  way,  and  if  you  are  not 
satisfied  he  thinks  that  it  is  you  and  not  he  who  is  unreason- 
able. Then  the  Chinese  delight  to  astonish  foreigners,  and 
freely  lie  in  order  to  do  so.  An  inhabitant  of  Canton  being 
told  that  the  King  of  Great  Britain  was,  on  certain  occasions, 
drawn  in  a carriage  by  eight  cream-coloured  horses,  answered 
without  a moment’s  hesitation,  “ China  Emperor  twenty- 
four  ! ” 


Contents 


CHATTER  I 

PAGE 

EIong  Kong  . . . . . .23 

Meaning  of  the  word  and  description — Population — No  useless 
restrictions — The  furthest  sentry-box  of  the  British  Empire— A 
cosmopolitan  Clapham  Junction — “ Green  hills  with  sea  scattered 
amongst  them  ” — The  Botanical  Gardens — Birds  and  insects — 
Varied  human  beings — “Heard  in  the  tram” — Climate — Cost  of 
living — “Distended  with  food  ” — Bathing  parties — Some  civilians 
nicer  than  others — Bachelor  messes — Games — The  races. 


CHAPTER  II 

Tientsin  and  Peking  . . . . .33 

Wei-hai-wei — From  Taku  Bar  to  Tientsin — Wanted  his  coolies — A 
kaleidoscopic  picture  of  military  movements — A plague  of  flies — 
Peking  an  old  curiosity  shop — Its  walls — -A  screen  against  evil 
spirits — Like  a park — The  Lama  monastery — The  Temple  of 
Confucius — Drowned  in  the  streets — Civility — Street  life — The 
Temple  of  Heaven — Pontifex  Maximus — The  Hall  of  Fasting — The 
Imperial  and  Forbidden  Cities — Private  apartments — The  Summer 
Palace — Looting  and  worse — Northern  and  Southern  Chinese. 


CHAPTER  III 

Canton  . . . . . . .44 

A proposal  of  marriage — Pawnshops — “Mr.  Marco  Polo” — 
“Doctor  temples" — The  five  genii — “The  Temple  of  Horrors” 

11 


12 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


— Pagodas — The  largest  mint  in  the  world — The  water  clock — 
The  execution  ground — The  most  unique  sight  in  Canton — 
Prisons — The  greatest  centre  of  gambling  in  the  world — Many 
kinds  of  workers  — Signboards  — Fati  and  Fatshan  — Street 
merchants — Names  of  streets — The  boat  population — The  White 
Mountains. 


CHAPTER  IV 


On  the  West  River  . . . . .55 

A bolt  from  the  blue — Kong-Moon — How  cold  the  tropics  can  be  1 
Pirates — Dutch  Folly — A silk  country — Rafts — Lepers — Objects  of 
interest — High-handed  ladies— Soup  and  rats — Ducks — Tigers — 
Wuchow — A “ pencil  pagoda  ” — Cheating  boats — A fire. 


CHAPTER  V 

Swatow,  Amoy,  Foochow'  . . . . .03 

A general  resemblance  between  Chinese  cities — Wall  literature — 
Oysters — Mice  steeped  in  honey — Pewter  ware — People  very  civil 
— Country  round  Swatow — Thatched  men — Amoy  celebrated  for 
its  pigs,  its  graves,  and  its  dirt — The  Temple  of  Ten  Thousand 
Rocks — Pailaus — The  Min  River  resembles  the  Rhine — The  “Bridge 
of  Ten  Thousand  Ages  ” — Soap-stone — Foochow  a centre  of 
missionary  effort — Apology  for  a good  house — Not  luxury — A 
friend’s  grave. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Up  the  Yangtze  . . . . . .70 

Shanghai  the  Paris  of  China — Chinkiang— Nanking — Vain  repe- 
titions— Water-buffaloes — Kiukiang — A wedding  celebration — 
Hankow,  Han-Yang,  and  Wuchang  — Between  Hankow  and 
Ichang— Cheap  labour — Ichang  gorges. 


CHAPTER  VII 


Village  Life  . . . . . .80 

Each  village  self-suffioing — Drastic  measures — Overcrowding — 
Thrifty  husbandry — A Chinese  village  like  matrimony — Lepers — 
Stay-at-homes— Markets — No  roads — Idols  punished — Schools — 
Respect  for  scholarship — Thoatros. 


CONTENTS 

13 

CHAPTER  VIII 

PAGE 

Topsy-Turveydom  . 

• • • 

. 90 

The  unexpected  happens — Chinese  practices  which  we  think 
absurd  can  be  rationally  explained. 

CHAPTER  IX 

Some  Chinese  Characteristics  . . . .95 

Fashion  and  custom  differ  with  locality — What  would  the  Chinosc 
not  do  if  they  were  unanimous  ? — Fish-fights  and  cricket-fights — 

The  braying  of  a donkey  stopped — The  Chinaman’s  expression, 
his  patience,  his  ability  to  sleep,  his  materialism,  his  integrity,  his 
dirt — Chinese  proverbial  philosophy — Natural  orators— Conjuring 
— Men  of  resource— Two  impressive  things — Early  inventions — 

Why  do  the  Chinese  not  know  more? — Great  at  organising — 
Guilds  of  beggars  and  thieves — Gambling  propensities — Privacy 
not  respected — A debtor  and  credit  account  with  Heaven — Want  of 
sympathy — Loss  of  face — Resemblance  between  the  Chinese  and 
the  English. 

CHAPTER  X 

Chinese  Food  . . . « . . 107 

What  a Chinaman  does  not  eat  is  not  worth  eating — “ That 
belong  cocky-loachee  ” — “ With  soy  sauce  anything  will  go  down  ” 

— Flowers  eaten  as  vegetables — Woman’s  milk  sold  for  aged 
persons — Eggs  one  hundred  years  old — Eating  one’s  walking- 
stick — Kippered  rats — Even  house  rat3  are  eaten — Cat  and  snake 
restaurants — An  overrated  dish — A coolie  can  revel  on  twopence  a 
day  -r-  Method  of  eating — Filial  gruel  — Invitations  — Chinese 
hospitality — The  attack  began  again — Two  good  soups — Curious 
dishes — Gratitude  for  repletion. 

CHAPTER  XI 

Medicine  and  Surgery  .....  119 

Chinese  medicine  horrible — They  cure,  however,  the  man  who  is 
fated  not  to  die — A recipe  for  ophthalmia — Large  doses— A sort  of 
multum  in  parvo — Dosed  to  death — A Chinaman  loves  free 
medicines — “It  is  his  pig” — “A  little  dragon  inside  me”— 
Transforming  medicines  — To  give  courage  — Blood  bread  — 
“Dragon’s  clothes” — An  old  remedy — The  doctor’s  shop — A 
saying  of  Confucius — Pulses — Due  proportions — Three  classes 
of  doctors — Payment  by  results — Simples — Acupuncture — Too 
patient — Jokes  against  doctors — Superstitious  remedies. 


14 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XII 


PAGE 

Chinese  Clothes  ......  130 

Many  changes  of  raiment  required — Prince  Chen — Special  clothes 
for  every  important  occasion — Chinese  clothes  are  in  many 
respects  better  than  ours — Ladies,  like  insects,  should  wear 
bright  colours — Colours  not  thought  to  kill  each  other — Official 
distinctions — A mandarin’s  answer — Fans — Pockets — Boots  and 
shoes — Hair-dressing — Ornaments  and  paint — Dress  of  the  poor 
— A Chinaman’s  toilet — The  queue — Beards. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Houses  and  Gardens  .....  138 

The  height  of  impertinence — A patriarchal  encampment — In 
harmony  with  surroundings — Inside  a house — No  concealment — 
Houses  as  uncomfortable  morally  as  they  are  physically — Chang 
Rung — Chinese  inns — Houseboats — The  Yamen— No  repairs — 

A potter’s  field — Landscape  gardening — The  flower  hermit — 
Floral  calendars. 


CHAPTER  XIY 

Servants  and  Labourers  .....  117 

Why  do  we  call  a male  servant  “boy”? — Chinese  servants 
conservative — In  chronic  indecision  — Dirty  cooks — Ingenious 
ones — Zeal  without  knowledge — Wages — To  bury  a father  or 
catchee  a wife — Peculations  limited — Faithful  servants — Never 
surprised — Pidgin  English — Best  servants  in  the  North — Thought- 
readers — Cheap  labour— Not  ashamed  of  poor  relations — A human 
hen — “The  Amah  Brigade”  — Co-operation  — Pull-man-cars — 

The  16th  Lancers. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Betrothal  and  Marriage  ....  157 

The  most  important  of  life’s  duties — Wives  married,  concubines 
loved — The  go-between — Presents  interchanged — Betrothed  from 
birth — Married  to  a tablet — The  wedding  ceremony — Teasing  the 
bride — Parents-in-law  must  be  remembered — “ Sifting  four  eyes  ” 

— Pretended  reluctance — Mother- in-la  wed — The  seven  reasons  for 
divoroe— A paradox — Thought  disgraceful  for  widows  to  marry. 


CONTENTS 

15 

CHAPTER  XVI 

PAGE 

Death  and  Burial 

. 167 

Death  and  social  position — No  help  given  to  the  dying — More 
light — “ The  devil  who  follows  ” — Like  an  Irish  wake — Sacerdotal 
ventriloquism — The  first  lifting  of  the  coffin — A “ white  affair  ” — 
When  at  the  point  of  death  Chinese  put  on  their  best  clothes — One 
reason  why  Chinese  coffins  are  so  large — A “ charming  retreat  ” 
— A favourite  present — Uncomfortable  graves — A mandarin  makes 
sure  of  a lucky  tomb — “ Blood  burial  ” — “ Won’t  even  leave  his 
carcase  ” — “ Buying  the  water  ” — A hint — Flat  beer. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Mourning  .......  176 

Noisy  grief — A “ longevity  picture  ” — “Weeping  tears  of  blood” 

“ Cloths  to  cry  with  ” — In  “ dutiful  grief  ” — Mourning  for  parents 
— Expense  of  funerals — On  the  death  of  the  Emperor — Confucius 
on  the  obligation  of  mourners — The  duty  of  an  eldest  son. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Boys  in  China  ......  181 

A proverb — Nothing  so  unfilial  as  to  have  no  children — A boy  is 
petted  and  indulged  for  not  being  a girl — He  gets  a 1 ‘ milk 
name  ” and  several  other  kinds  of  names — Boys  sometimes 
Pressed  as  girls  or  as  Buddhist  priests  — Games  — Bird’s  nests 
pbt  robbed — Betting  on  flies  and  oranges — Boys  work  too  much 
and  too  young — First  day  at  school — “ Backing  a lesson  ” — Mere 
memory-boxes  — Writing  — Long  hours  — Severity — Answer  of 
Mencius — Anecdote  of — The  trimetrical  classic — Another  school- 
book— Filial  service — The  cap  of  manhood— Parental  power — 
What  will  the  boy  be  ? 


CHAPTER  XIX 

Girls  and  Women  ......  190 

Girls  do  not  count — Why  boys  are  more  valued — “Girls  may  not 
be  drowned  here” — Presents  at  the  birth  of  children — A “ rearing 
marriage  ” — “ She  is  his  wife  ” — Cruelty  to  child  brides — Girls 
sold  cheaply — Sometimes  a girl  is  only  pawned — Hoped  to  be 
born  a dog — A scandal  from  which  China  is  free — Easily  pleased 
— Small  feet — “ What  medicine  am  I to  give  them  ? ” — The  Xing 


16 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


and  the  Yang  principles — Only  a “side  issue” — A “ Never-to-be- 
married”  sisterhood— A terrible  sin — Concubines  or  “little  wives” 
— The  volubility  of  tongues — He  had  never  chastised  his  wife — 
Advice  to  girls — “ That  tallest  devil ! ” 


CHAPTER  XX 

Education  in  China  .....  200 

Germ  of  competitive  examinations  in  China — The  exceptions  to 
those  who  can  compete — Respect  for  learning — An  examination 
enclosure — Severity  of  competition — Honours  for  those  who 
succeed — The  examiners  “ wash  their  hearts  ” — Pons  asinorum — 

The  last  made  first — Cheating — Tracts  distributed  by  the  charitable 
rich — A noble  maxim — Parables  and  novels  with  a purpose — Chess 
— An  elegant  present — Reverence  the  characters — Lettered-paper 
societies — Large  books — Penny  dreadfuls — Ignorance  in  excelsis — 
Western  knowledge — Christianity  wanted. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


Chinese  Manners  ......  212 

Polished  and  punctilious — Would  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  have 
had  a similar  effect? — “Let  your  movements  be  graceful  and 
deliberate  ” — “ Short  measure  ” — “ Politeness  before  force  ” — Easy 
to  be  rude— “ Little  bit  lie  pidgin” — Salutations — A formal  call 
— “ Neither  boast  nor  grumble  ” — Tea-drinking — “ Go  slowly” — 
Foot-binding — “ She  more  quiet  ” — Uncut  nails — Polite  attention 
— Friendly  interest — Pose  and  attitude — “In  honour  preferring 
one  another  ” — A missionary’s  mistake. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

The  Government  of  China  ....  220 

The  “ Son  of  Heaven  ” — His  allowances — Yang  Kuo— Chung’s 
flesh-screen— A college  of  censors — A sensible  arrangement — 
Boards  — Circumlocution  — The  theory  of  responsibility — The 
squeeze  system  — Public  appreciation  — Peacock’s  feathers  — 
Mandarins,  how  distinguished — Bled  by  vultures— On  the  opium 
couch — Pay,  pay,  pay  ! — “ Bring  me  an  honest  man  ” — A large 
and  dilapidated  house — “He  is  neglecting  his  duty" — “The 
vermilion  pencil  ” — How  rank  is  shown. 


CONTENTS 

17 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

PAGE 

Punishments 

• • • • 

. 229 

Theory  and  practice — Convenient  vagueness — “ Searchers  ” — The 
ideal  of  an  emperor — A Chinese  court  of  “ justice  ” — Inducements 
to  confession — Ingenious  tortures — “ Will  the  foreign  devil  not 
give  me  some  opium  ? ” — Tenacity  of  life — An  experience— An 
execution — The  Cangue — Have  all  Chinese  nerves? — Hells — A 
female  Nero — Reports  on  himself — Linchi — Punishments  ordered 
but  not  always  enforced. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


Chinese  Soldiers  ......  240 

Extract  from  the  Ping  Fa — The  army  in  a transition  state — 

“ Braves  ” — Pay  of  soldiers — Tricks  and  tactics — Qualities  of  a 
good  soldier — A military  reform  board — Coal-dust  for  gunpowder 
— The  army  awakening — A visit  to  a barrack — The  weak  part  of 
the  army — A military  renaissance. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

The  Religions  of  China  .....  250 

Polite  to  possibilities — Some  answers  of  Confucius — Miracles  of 
good  government — “Heaven”  was  much  to  the  philosopher — 

Paid  attention  to  the  details  of  life — Laid  no  claim  to  originality 
— Cautious  and  conscientious — The  keystone  of  the  system — 
Senselessly  overestimated — “ Those  who  know  do  not  tell;  those 
who  tell  do  not  know  ” — Self-emptiness — “ Pills  of  immortality  ” 

— Doctrine  of  inaction — Darwin  anticipated — We  must  be  born 
again — The  “ Three  Precious  Ones." 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

w 

Fengshoi  and  Other  Superstitions  . . . 262 

Hard  to  grasp — The  two  currents — Geometric  superstitions  no 
longer  cope  with  financial  considerations— A missionary’s  answer 
— From  a fengshui  point  of  view — The  green  dragon  and  the  white 
tiger — What  are  pagodas  ? — The  geomancer — The  almanack — 
Sellers-of-lies — Palmists,  spirit-mediums,  and  other  humbugs — 
Planchettes — The  phrenologist’s  answer — Superstitions  connected 
with  birth,  marriage,  and  death — Locked  to  life. 

2 


18 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

PAGE 

Spirits  .......  271 

Fly  only  in  straight  lines — A haunted  house — A service  of 
exorcism — Fighting  fiends  with  fire-crackers — Foolish  fears — 
Suicide — Prophylactics — Charms — Timidity  of  spirits — A cash 
sword — Propitiating  evil  spirits — In  the  hour  of  death — Three  souls 
— Punishment  of  dishonest  priests— “ The  Universal  Rescue  ” 
feast — View  of  the  intellectual  capacity  of  spirits. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Outside  and  Inside  a Temple  ....  279 

The  buildings  of  a temple — A holy  show — A confused  idea — The 
dust  of  ages — A mixture  of  fear  and  fun— The  soul  of  an  idol — 

“ Silks,  porcelains,  and  fancy  gods”— Use  of  a temple — The  first 
thing  done — What  is  prayed  for — Opium  given — Tears  of  blood — 
Patrons  of  vice — Animals  worshipped — Also  stocks  and  stones — 

What  meant  by  worship — Few  services  in  temples — Not  an  easy 
chair — Religious  processions — Dragon  boat  and  other  festivals — 
Trying  to  cheat  God. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

Monks  and  Priests  .....  293 

A contemptuous  toleration — Good  beggars — Roast  duck  for  supper 
— A “ purgatory  pick-purse  ” traffic — A bank  for  the  spirit- world — A 
hint  to  Western  clergymen— Ecclesiastical  vestments — “Bald- 
headed  asses  ” — “ Buddha  is  such  a kind  god  ” — Vain  repetitions 
— Praying-wheels  and  circulating  libraries — No  thought — Relaxa- 
tions— “Need  not  buy  rice” — “ Let-live  societies  ” — A monastery 
described — N unneries . 


CHAPTER  XXX 

New  Year’s  Day  in  China  ....  300 

A capon’s  destiny — Kites— The  opening  of  the  seals — New  Year’s 
wishes — Frightened  by  their  faces — Decorations — The  birthday  of 
every  one — Official  and  other  devotions — No  one  has  an  empty 
mouth — Cathedral  music — Gifts — Ladies  break  away  from  the 
monotony  of  their  lives— Resolutions  made — Words  of  good  omen. 


CONTENTS 

19 

CHAPTER  XXXI 

PAGE 

Missionaries 

.... 

. 308 

Without  authority  and  without  preparation — The  selection  of 
missionaries — Objections  answered — Testimony  of  Chinese  them- 
selves— Method  of  work — Humanising  as  well  as  proselytising — 
Unpaid  commercial  travellers — China  perfectly  tolerant — Mission- 
aries easy  to  attack — Even  medical  missions  misunderstood — 
Curious  questions — The  ideal  missionary — A “ London  Christian  ” 
— Missionaries  are  not  such  fools  as  they  look. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

As  the  Chinese  See  Us  . . . . . 321 

“Foreign  devils  are  very  singular” — “Just  like  monkeys” — 

“ That’s  the  devil’s  house  ” — A foreigner  is  always  suspected — A 
bare  skin  as  a mark  of  respect — Our  European  odour — Foreign 
smoke  and  foreign  dirt — The  want  of  religion  of  foreigners — 
“Exceeding  strange” — The  Platonic  intermingling  of  sexes  not 
understood — “And  she  has  manners  too" — Morbid  unrest — 
Curious  rather  than  useful. 


List  of  Illustrations 


IN  A CHINESE  STREET 

. Frontispiece 

KOWLOON  .... 

Facing  p. 

23 

SOUTH  OATE,  PEKING 

• 

If 

36 

LOO-MAN-TZE  STREET,  PEKING  . 

ff 

39 

TEMPLE  OP  HEAVEN,  PEKING 

If 

40 

A LESS  IMPORTANT  STREET,  PEKING  . 

• 

If 

42 

CANTON  .... 

• 

If 

44 

FIVB  HUNDRED  GENII  . 

ff 

45 

THE  TEMPLE  OP  HORRORS 

If 

46 

A GORGE  .... 

» f 

58 

APPROACH  TO  A MONASTERY 

> f 

62 

AMOY  ..... 

f J 

66 

FOOCHOW  .... 

f > 

68 

WATER  BUFFALO 

ff 

83 

A MULE  LITTER 

• 

ff 

85 

ACTORS  ..... 

If 

87 

BRIDGE  AT  PEKING 

. 

f I 

99 

21 


22  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

a mandarin’s  wife  in  full  uniform 


Facing  p.  132 

RECEPTION-ROOM  IN  A YAMEN  . . ,,  144 

CHAIR  COOLIES  AND  MARKET  COOLIES.  . ,,  153 

A WEDDING  CHAIR  ....  ,,  159 

STREET  BOYS  .....  „ 183 

SMALL-FOOTED  MAIDENS  . . . ,,  194 

ENTRANCE  TO  A PROVINCIAL  EXAMINATION  HALL  ,,  201 

PART  OF  IMPERIAL  PALACE,  PEKING  . . „ 220 

AN  AUDIENCE  HALL,  PEKING  . . ,,  228 

A CHINESE  COURT  ....  „ 230 

CHINESE  SOLDIERS — OLD  STYLE  . . „ 240 

THE  ALTAR  OF  HEAVEN,  PEKING  . . „ 250 

A PAGODA  .....  „ 265 

A TEMPLE  .....  „ 279 

A TEMPLE  ....  „ 281 


To  face  page 


CHAPTER  I 


HONG  KONG 


Moaning  of  the  word  and  description — Population — No  useless  restrictions — 
The  furthest  sentry-box  of  the  British  Empire — A cosmopolitan  Clapham 
Junction — “Green  hills  with  sea  scattered  amongst  them" — The 
Botanical  Gardens — Birds  and  insects — Varied  human  beings — “ Heard 
in  the  tram” — Climate — Cost  of  living — “Distended  with  food” — 
Bathing  parties — Some  civilians  nicer  than  others — Bachelor  messes — 
Games — The  races. 


ONG  KONG,  the  moaning  of  which  is  either  “ Good 


Harbour,”  or  “Fragrant  Streams,”  is  one  of  a group 
of  islands  off  the  south-east  coast  of  China.  It  is  ten  miles 
long,  with  a mean  breadth  of  about  threo  miles  ; it  is  rugged 
and  mountainous,  and  there  is  but  little  of  it  that  can  be 
cultivated.  The  colony  embraces  the  peninsula  of  Kowloon, 
some  four  miles  in  extent  off  the  mainland,  and,  in  addition, 
the  neighbouring  territory,  including,  with  islands,  about  370 
square  miles,  which  has  recently  been  leased  (that  is,  given 
through  fear)  to  Great  Britain. 

The  population  of  Victoria,  the  capital  of  the  island  and 
of  Kowloon  opposite  it,  is  325,631  Chinese  and  18,581  non- 
Chinese.  Most  of  the  Chinese  are  males ; they  leave  their 
wives  at  Canton,  from  whence  they  come,  because  they  do 
not  trust  European  morals  or  because  these  ladies  can  live 
cheaper  there.  Do  the  grass  widowers  want  their  clothes 
mended?  There  are  women  wearing  owlish  spectacles  who 
sit  at  street-corners  and  earn  a living  with  their  needles. 


23 


24  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

The  worst  of  the  Chinese  is  that  there  are  so  many  of 
them.  They  get  on  your  nerves.  No  matter  what  you 
are  doing,  you  feel  that  you  are  being  overlooked.  The 
celestial  part  of  Hong  Kong  is  more  crowded  than  any 
place  except  a herring-barrel,  and  there  are  always  more 
people  wanting  to  come  into  it.  In  Hong  Kong  there 
is  no  “ squeezing,”  a fact  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
Chinese,  compensates  even  for  the  necessity  of  acquiring 
cleaner  habits.  It  was  a pathetic  sight  during  a water 
famine  to  see  the  orderly  way  in  which  thousands  of  Chinese, 
each  having  empty  buckets,  were  marshalled  in  long  lines  by 
British  European  soldiers  to  get  water  that  was  brought  from 
a distance  in  water-boats.  This  paternal  care  of  Government 
is  not  appreciated,  however,  when  it  forcibly  cleanses  a house 
in  which  a person  has  had  plague.  To  prevent  such  sanitary 
nonsense,  as  the  Chinese  think  it,  they  will  conceal  a dead 
person  as  long  as  possible  in  a house  if  unable  to  dump  the 
corpse  down  in  the  street. 

In  things  indifferent,  however,  there  is  in  Hong  Kong 
an  amount  of  liberty  that  agreeably  surprises  foreign  visitors. 
They  are  not  worried  about  passports  or  asked  what  they 
are  going  to  do  or  how  much  money  they  have.  There  are 
none  of  the  useless  restrictions  which  the  meddlesome 
officialism  of  French  and  German  colonies  invent.  Approxi- 
mate to  decent  behaviour  in  our  Hong  Kong  shop  for  all 
nations,  and  you  can  do  what  you  like. 

An  Irish  soldier,  when  ordered  to  Hong  Kong,  remarked 
that  they  could  not  send  him  further  from  home  without 
sending  him  nearer.  Hong  Kong  is  the  furthest  sentry-box 
of  the  British  Empire,  and  is  nearly  as  important  to  us 
as  Malta  and  Gibraltar.  China  is  likely  to  be  the  cockpit 
where  European  nations  will  fight.  It  certainly  is  the  prob- 
lem of  the  twentieth  century,  and  we  must  keep  a strong 
fleet  in  her  waters  to  watch  the  solution  of  the  problem. 
For  this  fleet  Hong  Kong  is  the  coaling-station.  As  for 


HONG  KONG  25 

foreign  ships  of  war,  they  come  to  Hong  Kong  in  such 
numbers  and  so  often  that  no  fewer  than  240  guns  wore 
fired  in  salutes  in  the  harbour  in  one  day. 

But  in  addition  to  being  a most  important  outpost  of 
empire,  Hong  Kong  is  a sort  of  cosmopolitan  Clapham 
Junction,  whero  passengers  change  and  goods  are  tran- 
shippod  for  everywhere.  If  we  British  cannot  take  prido 
in  the  way  wo  came  by  the  place,  we  may  in  what  we  have 
done  with  it.  When  wo  took  Hong  Kong,  sixty-four  years 
ago,  there  were  only  a few  fishermen’s  or  pirates’  huts  upon 
it ; now  it  is,  if  not  the  first  or  second,  at  least  the  third 
port  in  the  world.  The  harbour,  which  looks  like  a lake, 
is  ten  miles  long  and  from  one  to  five  wide.  It  is  surrounded 
by  many-coloured  hills  of  trap  and  granite.  Words  cannot 
depict  the  cloud-effocts  over  these  hills  or  the  beauty  of  the 
sun  setting  behind  them. 

There  is  not  the  tropical  vegetation  of  Ceylon  and  Penang, 
but  Hong  Kong  has  a weird  beauty  of  its  own.  The  view  at 
night  from  the  sea,  when  the  lights  of  the  ships  and  of  the 
houses  on  the  hillsides  seem  to  mingle  with  the  stars,  is 
unsurpassed.  “ Well,  at  all  events,”  I said  to  a grumbler 
who  was  looking  with  me  at  one  of  the  views,  “ you  cannot 
deny  Hong  Kong  beauty.”  “ What  is  it,  after  all,”  she 
answered,  “ but  green  hills  with  sea  scattered  amongst  them  ? ” 
To  this  kind  of  women,  the  sigh  of  a lover,  a drop  of  dew,  and 
a primrose  on  a river  brink  are  only  wind,  water,  and  vegetable. 
Another  lady  remarked  in  my  hearing : “ Hong  Kong  is  a 
place  to  see,  but  not  to  live  in.”  May  she  never  be  in  a worse 
place  ! 

The  Botanical  Gardens  are  beautifully  laid  out,  and  contain 
so  many  large,  thick-leaved  indiarubber  trees  that  you  can 
always  get  a shaded  walk.  There  is  generally  some  new 
flowering  tree  to  be  seen.  Most  tropical  trees  have  leaves  all 
the  year,  the  old  ones  not  falling  off  until  the  young  ones 
appear  ; and  the  buds  that  will  mature  into  green  leaves  are 


26  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


red  when  they  first  come  out,  blushing  like  debutantes.  The 
trees  in  spring  have  the  tints  of  autumn  in  Western  lands,  and 
the  azaleas  flower  with  a glory  that  would  have  made  Solomon 
look  foolish.  In  the  New  Territory,  rice,  fruit,  sugar,  and 
vegetables  grow,  and  so  plentiful  are  pineapples  that  they  sell 
for  two  cents  each,  wholesale. 

It  is  worth  coming  to  Hong  Kong  to  see  the  moths,  beetles, 
butterflies,  and  spiders.  From  the  tip  of  one  wing  of  an 
Atlas  moth  to  the  tip  of  another  is  sometimes  as  much  as 
eleven  inches.  One  butterfly  looks  as  if  it  were  dressed  in  a 
swallow-tailed  coat  of  black  and  blue  velvet.  On  warm  days 
cicada  make  a whizzing  sound  by  the  vibration  of  two  flaps 
under  the  abdomen. 

So  many  beautiful  birds  labelled  to  belong  to  Hong  Kong 
are  in  the  museum  and  so  few  outside  that  it  would  almost 
seem  as  if  they  had  nearly  all  obtained  the  immortality  of 
stuffing.  However,  I have  seen  a few  very  beautiful  ones 
outside,  generally  near  Stanley,  the  place  where  the  British 
tried  first  to  live  in. 

And  the  specimens  of  human  beings  seen  in  the  streets  of 
Victoria  are  not  less  varied — Chinese,  Cingalese,  Japanese, 
Koreans,  Malays,  Parsees,  Portuguese.  Like  a statue  a 
Sikh  policeman  stands  at  a street-corner,  and  Indian  soldiers 
wearing  brilliant  turbans  stride  by  on  pipe-stem  legs  inserted 
into  very  long  shoes. 

The  sanitary  arrangement  of  Victoria  falls  between  two 
stools,  being  a mixture  of  the  no-drainage  or  carrying-away 
system  that  best  suits  Chinese  cities  and  the  European  plan. 
The  almost  entire  absence  of  dust  and  mud  in  Hong  Kong  in 
all  seasons  is  agreeable  and  healthy. 

Hong  Kong  is  built  as  it  were  in  three  layers  or  storeys. 
Business  is  done  on  the  ground  floor,  on  the  second  storey  are 
dwelling-houses  and  gardens,  and  to  top-side,  as  the  Peak 
is  called,  come  in  summer  Europeans  who  can  afford  to  be 
cool.  The  Peak  includes  the  hills,  eighteen  hundred  and 


HONG  KONG 


27 


twenty-five  foot  high,  south  of  Victoria.  It  is  connocted  with 
tho  town  by  a cable  tramway.  The  journey  occupies  only 
seven  minutes,  but  in  less  time  than  this  a reputation  may  be 
slain,  and  “ Heard  in  tho  tram  ” is  the  authority  for  many  a 
lie.  Those  who  travel  up  and  down  in  tho  tram  two  or  threo 
or  four  times  a day  got  very  tired  of  each  other.  One  can 
meet  a person  twice  a day  with  breezy  enthusiasm,  but  the 
third  time  the  smile  of  recognition  is  sickly,  and  the  fourth 
time  there  is  an  incipient  scowl.  To  those  not  accustomed 
to  the  tram  the  houses  on  either  side  look  as  if  they  were 
toppling  over.  New-comers  hold  on  to  their  seats  and  murmur, 
“ Oh  my  ! ” It  is  a funny  experience  being  carried  in  a chair 
on  tho  Peak.  You  only  want  a feeding-bottle  and  a rattle  to 
be  a baby  once  more,  and  when  those  who  bear  you  talk  you 
aro  reminded  of  Balaam’s  ass. 

From  November  to  April  the  climate  of  Hong  Kong  is 
usually  delightful.  Practically,  no  rain  falls  during  this 
period,  which  is  that  of  the  north-east  monsoon ; day  after 
day  brings  a clear  blue  sky,  a warm  sun,  and  a cool,  dry, 
northerly  wind.  In  the  evening  fires  are  often  required.  The 
remainder  of  the  year  is  the  hot  and  rainy  season,  and  when 
it  does  rain  in  Hong  Kong  it  knows  how  to  do  it.  The  rainfall 
in  twenty-four  hours  has  been  as  much  as  in  a whole  year  in 
England.  Even  on  the  lower  levels  the  thermometer  rarely 
goes  above  90°  F.,  but  this  is  much  more  trying  than  the 
same  temperature  in  places  with  a drier  atmosphere.  Walk 
a hundred  yards,  and  when  in  motion  you  may  not  feel  very 
warm,  but  when  you  stop  you  are  bathed  in  perspiration. 
Then  the  Peak  of  Hong  Kong,  which  saves  those  who  live  on 
it,  destroys  those  who  do  not,  for  it  prevents  the  wind  that 
prevails  in  summer  from  ventilating  the  city  of  Victoria.  At 
the  Peak  the  thermometer  is  from  six  to  eight  degrees  lower 
than  at  Victoria.  There  are  fewer  Chinese,  and  the  nights  are 
noiseless.  There  is,  however,  one  great  drawback  to  the 
Peak.  Every  now  and  then  in  spring  and  summer  it  is 


28  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

shrouded  in  a fog  that  suggests  suicide,  and  mildews  gowns, 
hats,  and  other  vanities.  This  last  is  not  altogether  a 
disadvantage,  as  the  airing  of  their  clothes  gives  ladies  some- 
thing to  do  during  the  hot  part  of  the  day,  when  they  cannot 
go  out.  If  you  live  on  the  Peak  your  clothes  rot ; if  you 
live  below,  you  rot.  True,  some  escape  with  their  lives,  but 
they  will  probably  have  lost  first  their  teeth,  then  their  hearing, 
and  then  their  minds. 

Very  often  it  is  their  own  fault,  for  people  in  Kong  Kong 
take  liberties  with  their  health  such  as  they  would  not  take  at 
home.  They  should  avoid  chills,  keep  out  of  the  sun  and 
club  bars,  and  remember  that  the  man  who  eats  little  eats 
much,  because  he  lives  longer  to  eat.  If  only  grown-up 
people  were  as  wise  as  children ! Children  thrive  on  the 
Peak,  and  sealed  bottles  of  very  good  milk  can  be  bought 
for  them. 

The  worst  evils  in  life  are  those  that  do  not  come,  and  this 
is  often  the  case  with  those  awful  storms  called  typhoons. 
They  are  signalled,  our  houses  are  shut  up,  and  we  swelter  in 
darkness.  Mr.  Typhoon  is  afraid  of  the  scandal  and  other 
disagreeables  of  Hong  Kong,  and  goes  elsewhere.  When  he 
does  come,  however,  he  destroys  houses,  shipping,  and  some- 
times human  life.  If  you  venture  out,  you  have  to  go  on  your 
knees  to  avoid  being  blown  away. 

There  are  nice  houses  on  the  Peak,  with  concrete  courts  for 
playing  tennis,  but  with  no  better  gardens  than  that  which 
consists  of  a few  pots  containing  flowers.  Houses,  servants, 
and  food  cost  about  double  what  they  did  a dozen  years  ago. 
The  allowances  of  officers  have  not  increased  as  much  as  they 
should.  We  get  chair  allowance,  but  we  ought  to  get  dentists’ 
allowance,  so  tough  is  the  food  in  Hong  Kong  and  so 
expensive  the  dentists. 

Spirits,  tobacco,  and  wine  aro  cheap — perhaps  too  cheap 
— and  reach-me-down  clothes  do  not  cost  much  more  than 
they  are  worth.  Some  of  the  Chinese  shops  have  a great 


29 


HONG  KONG 

deal  of  carving  and  gilding  upon  their  fronts,  but  they 
make  the  many  globe-trotters  that  pass  through  pay  well 
for  this.  One  must  be  careful  what  one  buys  in  these 
shops.  A lady  observed  a man  reading  Chinese  characters 
on  the  front  of  a silver  belt  which  she  was  wearing.  “You 
understand  the  language,”  she  said,  “so  do  tell  me  the 
literal  meaning  of  these  characters.  I am  told  they  stand 
for  happiness.”  With  shy  hesitation  the  Chinese  scholar 
answered,  “ They  may  moan  that  indirectly,  but  the  literal 
translation  of  what  is  on  the  clasp  of  your  belt  is,  * Distended 
with  food.’  ” 

In  the  winter  Hong  Kong  is  gay.  Those  “ in  the  swim  ” 
may  dine  or  dance  out  every  evening.  In  summer  people 
are  in  the  swim  in  a more  literal  sense,  for  that  is  the 
time  for  bathing  parties,  a form  of  amusement  so  healthy  and 
rational  that  one  wonders  how  society  took  to  it.  Between 
four  and  five  o’clock  a party  steam  in  a launch  to  whero  the 
sea  is  clean  and  there  is  a sandy  beach  upon  which  tents  or 
mat  sheds  have  been  put  up  to  serve  as  dressing-rooms  for  the 
ladies.  The  men  don  bathing  kit  on  the  now  curtained  launch 
and  swim  to  join  the  diving-freWes  as  several  Hong  Kong 
ladies  may  be  called,  so  proficient  are  they  in  aquatic  exer- 
cises. When  tired  of  throwing  about  a football  in  the  water, 
the  bathers  retire,  the  men  to  the  launch  and  the  ladies  to 
the  tents.  Here  they  are  given  cherry  brandy,  and  the  sexes 
clothe  and  reunite.  Tea  is  then  served,  either  on  land  or  on 
the  launch  during  the  return  journey.  Sometimes  people 
dine  on  the  launches,  and,  being  in  no  hurry  to  burn  and 
dissolve  in  Hong  Kong,  stay  out  pretty  late  in  the  moonlight. 
The  Governor,  the  two  Admirals,  the  General,  and  the  Chief 
Justice  lead  society,  and  the  Bishop  blesses  their  doings  as 
far  as  he  conscientiously  can.  Of  the  civilians  in  Hong  Kong, 
all  that  we  shall  say  is  that  some  are  nicer  than  others.  The 
number  ones,  twos,  and  even  threes  of  the  great  commercial 
firms  are  sometimes  social  successes.  There  are  distinctions, 


30  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

however,  that  are  not  easy  to  understand.  Why  should  pig- 
iron  turn  up  its  nose  at  tenpenny  nails  ? To  this  distant 
land  people  come  with  double  names  that  sound  formidable 
until  it  is  discovered  that  the  double-barrelled  ones  discharge 
very  small  shot  at  home.  The  Service  people  call  the  civilians 
dollar-snatchers,  and  the  latter  think  of  the  former  as 
dollar-lackers.  Dancing  days  and  nights  begin  with  the 
three  practice  dances  that  precede  the  ball  which  is  given  by 
Scotch  residents  on  each  St.  Andrew’s  night.  The  great 
difficulty  men  have  is  to  get  partners,  so  few  unmarried  girls 
are  in  the  colony.  Here  it  is  men  and  not  women  who  are 
wall-flowers. 

If  men  cannot  get  partners  for  a dance  unless  they  bespeak 
them  days  before,  it  is  even  more  difficult  to  get  them  for  life. 
Owing  to  this  scarcity  of  wife  material,  as  well  as  to  impe- 
cuniosity,  young  European  men,  instead  of  marrying,  form 
themselves  into  bachelor  messes.  Just  before  leaving  Hong 
Kong,  I dined  at  one  of  these  establishments.  It  was 
monstrous.  There  were  six  mere  men  daring  to  have  as 
nice  a drawing-room,  as  well  arranged  a table,  and  as  good 
servants  as  any  house  I have  seen  run  by  that  old  institution 
— a wife.  It  was  unnatural,  and  a committee  of  women  ought 
to  break  up  the  mess  before  the  offenders  get  too  much  into 
the  habit  of  celibacy  and  make  a mess  of  their  lives.  The 
poor  fellows  are  starved  at  heart,  however  replete  in  stomach, 
and  each  starts  a dog  for  a companion.  Alas  ! some  of  them 
go  to  the  dogs  in  other  ways.  A ten-thousand-miles-away- 
from-home  feeling  has  many  temptations  connected  with  it. 

A person  who  is  only  middle-aged  feels  quite  antique  at 
Hong  Kong,  not  so  much  by  reason  of  the  enervating  climate 
as  because  there  aro  scarcely  any  old  people  in  the  colony. 
All  leave  when  they  can  afford  to  do  so,  and  when  still  young. 
Age  and  awkwardness  at  games  are  considered  hero  un- 
pardonable sins. 

There  are  beautiful  and,  I believe,  comfortable  cemoteries 


HONG  KONG 


31 


for  Hindoos,  Mahommedans,  Protestants,  and  Roman 
Catholics,  overlooking  the  racecourso  in  the  Happy  Valley. 
In  this  valley  are  played  golf,  cricket,  and  other  games,  and 
when  officiating  at  a military  funeral  I used  frequently  to  hear 
an  illustration  of  the  truth  that  “in  the  midst  of  life  we  arc  in 
death,”  for  the  shouts  of  football  players  would  rise  up  and 
mingle  with  the  recitation  of  thoso  very  words  or  with  the 
three  volleys  after  the  service  which  proclaimed  that  a soldier 
had  played  out  his  game  of  life  upon  earth. 

Polo  is  played  all  the  year  round,  but  the  ponies  do  not 
appear  to  have  their  hearts  in  the  work.  Game  can  be 
found  in  the  New  Territory,  and  for  those  who  can  con- 
tent themselves  with  clay  pigeons  there  is  a gun-club  in 
Hong  Kong. 

The  L.R.C. — that  is,  Ladies’  Recreation  Club,  or,  as  some 
read  it,  Ladies’  Recrimination  Club,  is  managed  with  great 
care  by  ladies.  Gentlemen  are  eligible  as  subscribers. 

With  the  races  the  Hong  Kong  season  closes,  for  soon  after 
the  weather  begins  to  get  warm.  Great  then  is  the  disap- 
pointment of  the  ladies  if  the  race-days  are  cold  or  wet,  or 
otherwise  unsuitable  to  the  costumes  they  have  planned  and 
perhaps  imported  ten  thousand  miles  for  this  occasion. 

On  either  side  of  the  grand  stand  temporary  mat  houses 
are  put  up.  In  these  society  “ tiffins,”  gambles,  flirts, 
and  regales  itself  with  tea  and  ices.  But  nothing  at  the 
races  is  so  interesting  as  the  two  miles  of  road  from  the 
terminus  of  the  Peak  tramway  to  the  course.  Each  day, 
chairs,  rickshaws,  tramcars,  and  pony  carriages  convey  people 
of  every  costume  and  colour  in  the  Far  East  to  the  Happy 
Valley.  The  crowd  is  so  sober  and  orderly  that  it  might  be 
going  to  church. 

I never  could  care  which  horse  came  in  first,  but  the  human 
races  always  amused  me.  I liked  looking  at  Chinese  jugglers 
pretending  to  run  swords  through  boys ; at  dentists  making 
believe  that  they  draw  teeth  and  put  them  in  again ; at  the 


32  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


curious  arts  of  medicine-sellers  ; at  the  solemn  efforts  of  Indian 
soldiers  to  be  jolly  and  funny  to  a tom-tom  accompaniment. 
I treated  myself  to  an  entrance  ticket,  price  one  cent,  to 
several  shows  containing  such  things  as  a duck  with  three 
legs,  an  optical  illusion  which  made  a human  head  look  as  if 
it  were  separated  from  the  trunk,  and  a deformed  dwarf  that 
seemed  to  be  only  half  human.  Do  the  Chinese  ignore 
Western  inventions?  Certainly  not,  for  I saw  them  at 
these  races  paying  cash  to  get  electrical  shocks  and  to  hear 
phonographic  wonders. 

It  would  be  well  if  the  residents  of  Hong  Kong,  instead  of 
indulging  in  the  excitement  of  fan-tan  at  Macao,  which  is 
distant  three  hours  by  steamer,  were  to  go  through  the  yellow- 
scarred  heights  and  investigate  the  beautiful  valleys  and 
quaint  villages  that  are  in  our  New  Territory.  Even  at 
Macao  it  is  not  necessary  to  gamble,  for  there  are  interesting 
manufactories  and  beautiful  gardens  to  be  seen.  There  are, 
too,  trips  to  the  Ringing  Rocks  and  elsewhere  that  can  inno- 
cently fill  up  a week-end. 


CHAPTER  II 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING 


Wei-hai-wei — From  Taku  Bar  to  Tientsin — Wanted  his  coolies — A kaleido- 
scopic picture  of  military  movements — A plague  of  flies — Peking  an  old 
curiosity-shop — Its  walls — A screen  against  evil  spirits — Like  a park — 
The  Lama  monastery — The  Temple  of  Confucius — Drowned  in  the 
streets— Civility — Street  life — The  Temple  of  Heaven — Pontifex  Maxi- 
mus—The  Hall  of  Fasting — The  Imperial  and  Forbidden  Cities — 
Private  apartments— The  Summer  Palace — Looting  and  worse — 
Northern  and  Southern  Chinese. 

SOON  after  arriving  at  Hong  Kong,  I was  offered  an 
indulgence,  or  free  passage,  in  a transport  ship  which 
was  going  up  to  Taku  to  bring  back  soldiers  from  Tientsin 
and  Peking.  “ You  may  be  in  time  to  see  the  Forbidden 
City,”  said  the  officer  in  charge  of  transports,  “ before  it 
is  shut  up  preparatory  to  the  Emperor’s  return.  It  is  very 
hot  up  there  at  this  time  of  the  year,  and  you  would  have  a 
good  deal  of  roughing,  but  you  will  never  have  such  an  oppor- 
tunity again.”  There  is  a charm  about  forbidden  things,  and 
as  I wanted  to  see  this  most  exclusive  city  and  the  other 
sights  of  Peking,  and  reflected  that  there  were  as  many 
belonging  to  my  military  parish  to  whom  I might  be  of 
use  in  Tientsin  and  Peking  as  in  Hong  Kong,  I started  on 
the  25th  of  July,  1901. 

On  the  fifth  day  we  arrived  at  Wei-hai-wei  and  put  in  for 
orders.  There  were  several  large  ships  of  war  in  the  harbour 
and  bands  playing  upon  two  of  them,  but  no  one  paid  any 

3 33 


34  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


attention  to  our  arrival  for  a considerable  time.  At  last 
a young  officer  sauntered  on  board  with  a message  that 
we  might  go  on  our  way,  but  too  late  to  admit  of  our  doing 
so  that  night,  so  we  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  then 
much-talked-of  Wei-hai-wei.  A large  hotel  has  been  built, 
and  Wei-hai-wei  is  becoming  a seaside  resort  as  fashionable  as 
Clieefoo,  another  port  where  we  remained  a day  on  our  return 
journey.  At  a little  distance  were  pointed  out  to  us  the 
native  walled  town  of  Wei-hai-wei  and  the  fine  new  barracks 
in  which  the  Chinese  regiment,  organised  by  England,  lived. 

In  a day  and  a night  we  came  to  Taku  Bar,  and  were 
transferred  into  a launch  which  brought  us  some  miles  to 
Sinho,  passing  the  historic  mud  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Peiho  river.  Each  fort  had  on  it  the  flag  of  the  nation  that 
gave  most  assistance  in  taking  it. 

At  Sinho  we  got  into  the  military  train  which  was  used  by 
soldiers  of  all  nations,  but  worked  by  British  Royal  Engineers. 
Surely  a more  miscellaneous  collection  of  military  officers 
never  travelled  in  any  train ; we  were  British,  German, 
Russian,  Japanese,  Austrian,  and  so  forth  ; the  Chinese  were 
crowded  like  cattle  in  trucks  without  seats. 

From  Sinho  to  Tientsin  there  was  scarcely  anything  to  be 
seen  in  the  flat  landscape  except  reeds,  Chinese  graves,  and 
salt-heaps  ; but  everywhere  were  signs  of  the  Boxer  trouble 
which  had  only  just  ended.  All  the  dwellings  on  either  side 
of  the  railway  were  burned,  and  this  was  the  case  all  the  way 
up  to  Peking.  The  burning  was  done  by  the  foreign  armies, 
to  prevent  the  houses  hiding  Boxers,  by  the  Boxers  them- 
selves, and  by  the  pillaging  mob  that  followed  them.  In 
fact,  every  one  seemed  to  have  been  burning  everything.  No 
attempt  was  made  to  distinguish  between  innocent  peasants 
and  Boxers.  The  officer  commanding  a battery  of  British 
artillery  told  me  that  with  great  trouble  ho  had  collected 
a number  of  coolies  to  move  his  guns.  The  colonel  of  a 
passing  Russian  regiment  came  to  him  and  asked  him  to  give 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING  35 

i 

them  up,  for  he  said,  “ I’ve  got  orders  to  kill  every  Chinese 
met  between  Tientsin  and  Peking.”  And  yet  it  was  said 
that  there  was  no  war  with  China  ! 

Of  course  we  were  much  interested  in  seeing  the  marks 
of  the  fierce  fighting  that  had  recently  taken  place  at  the 
railway  station  at  Tientsin.  If  the  Russians  and  the  British 
Marines  had  not  made  the  grand  stand  they  did  there, 
Tientsin  would  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Boxers 
and  the  Imperial  troops.  We  visited  the  native  city 
and  saw  a very  interesting  temple,  and  the  fine  new  road 
along  the  river,  which  has  been  made  in  the  place  where 
formerly  stood  hundreds  of  native  houses.  Along  this  and 
in  other  parts  were  the  settlements  of  British,  American, 
German,  French,  Italian,  Japanese,  and  other  soldiers. 
I have  always  liked  studying  foreign  armies  and  comparing 
them  with  each  other,  and  here  was  a unique  opportunity  for 
doing  so.  Truly  it  was  a kaleidoscopic  picture  of  military 
movement  and  varied  uniforms.  Most  critics  were  of  opinion 
that  the  discipline  and  transport  arrangements  of  our 
Anglo-Indian  army  were  superior  to  those  of  the  others. 
Certainly  a German  officer  told  me  that  the  Indian  soldiers 
could  not  have  any  strength  with  such  thin  legs,  and  that 
they  would  be  cowardly  in  battle.  He  did  not  know  what 
muscle  was  in  those  legs,  or  that  the  men  he  sneered  at  were 
born  fighters. 

These  encampments  may  have  helped  to  cause  the  plague  of 
flies  from  which  we  suffered.  James  the  First  said  to  a fly, 
“ I have  three  kingdoms,  and  yet  the  only  place  you  could 
go  was  in  my  eye ! ” The  Tientsin  flies  during  the  hot 
weather  when  we  were  there  were  so  numerous  that  they 
had  to  make  places  for  themselves  inside  and  outside  our 
eyes,  on  our  food,  everywhere.  The  enormous  amount  of 
matting-covered  baggage,  and  the  number  of  transport 
animals  to  be  seen  everywhere,  enabled  us  to  realise,  to 
some  extent,  what  active  service  is  like. 


36  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

After  six  clays  we  left  Tientsin  and  started  for  Peking. 
The  country  on  both  sides  produced  fine  crops  of  millet, 
of  hemp,  and  of  other  cereals. 

When  I saw  Cairo,  I thought  that  I would  never  again  see 
such  an  out-of-the-common  city,  but,  compared  with  Peking, 
Cairo  is  quite  commonplace.  If  Southey  could  say  of  Exeter 
that  “ it  is  ancient  and  stinks,”  what  would  he  have  thought 
of  the  assorted  odours  of  that  old  curiosity-shop — Peking  ? 

The  first  thing  that  astonishes  the  traveller  as  his  train 
glides  into  the  station,  near  the  Temple  of  Heaven,  are  the 
walls  and  gates  of  the  Chinese,  Tartar,  Imperial,  and  For- 
bidden Cities,  cities  which  are  situated  one  within  the  other. 
The  circuit  of  these  walls  is  twenty-five  miles ; they  are  fifty 
feet  high  and  forty  broad.  At  intervals  there  are  enormous 
castellated  keeps  or  gate-towers.  In  the  embrasures  of  these 
are,  or  were  when  I was  there,  fixed  boards  upon  which  were 
painted  the  muzzles  of  imaginary  cannon.  This  was  intended 
to  terrify  an  advancing  enemy,  and  perhaps  to  deceive  Kuanti, 
the  god  of  war. 

When  I got  into  that  vehicle  without  springs  or  seats,  called 
a Peking  cart,  which  the  Rev.  F.  Norris,  chaplain  to  the 
British  Legation,  the  friend  at  whose  house  I was  to  stay, 
sent  for  me,  I knew  for  the  first  time  what  a really  bad 
road  means.  It  is  not  exaggeration  to  say  that  sometimes 
we  sank  a yard  in  a mud-hole  or  between  stones.  My  friend’s 
house  was  a large  Chinese  one,  and  the  first  thing  he  did  was 
to  show  us  over  it,  and  to  explain  in  what  respects  it  differed 
from  an  English  house.  Like  most  other  Chinese  houses,  it 
had  only  one  storey  and  the  three-sided  courts  into  which  it 
was  divided  were  turned  to  the  south.  Before  the  outermost 
court  was  a screen  intended  to  ward  off  evil  spirits.  These 
beings  are  supposed  always  to  Uy  straight,  so  that  anything 
which  turns  them  aside  frightens  them  away.  F or  this  reason 
the  Chinese  liavo  made  Prospect  or  Coal  Hill,  which  one  can 
hardly  believe  is  artificial,  outside  the  Imperial  City.  We 


South  Gate,  Peking, 


37 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING 

climbed  up  this  screen  against  evil  spirits,  and  bad  a fino 
view  of  Peking.  It  did  not  look  like  a town  at  all,  but  like  a 
splendid  park,  covered  with  trees  ; this  is  because  almost  every 
house  has  at  least  one  tree  in  its  compound.  The  yellow 
roofs  of  the  Imperial  buildings  were  pointed  out  to  us,  and 
also  the  green-tiled  ones  that  distinguish  princely  and  ducal 
residences. 

Most  of  the  houses  in  Peking  that  are  not  palaces  aro 
hovels.  No  two  houses  are  on  tho  same  lino.  The  object 
of  this  is  to  deflect  evil  spirits,  who  aro  not  ablo  to  turn 
a corner.  To  further  drive  away  or  catch  these  gentry, 
clay  or  porcelain  dogs  or  lious  or  bottles  of  sorts  are  put  on 
the  ridges  of  many  houses.  Wo  may  remark  that  to  serve 
the  same  purpose  netting  is  sometimes  placed  upon  the  corner 
of  the  sail  of  a junk. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  so  we  went  to  the  Legation 
Church  and  were  entertained  at  lunch  afterwards  by  the 
Ambassador.  Two  or  three  of  those  present  had  been  in  the 
siege,  and  they  showed  us  some  of  the  sandbags  used,  a 
stable  into  which  millions  of  rifle-bullets  seemed  to  have  been 
fired,  and  a place  where  the  last  order  issued  was  written  up 
in  chalk.  Underneath  were  the  words,  “ Nil  desperandum, 
two  bottles  of  beer.”  All  this  was  very  vivid,  especially  as  I 
was  wearing  a straw  hat  lent  to  me  in  which  were  two  bullet- 
holes. 

One  day  we  visited  the  Lama  monastery,  but  that  day  is 
almost  a blank  to  me.  I was  bewildered  with  the  summer 
heat,  with  the  strangeness  of  everything,  and  with  the 
impatience  of  my  companions,  who  did  not  care  to  see  sights 
but  only  to  “ do  ” them.  I retain,  however,  a dim  recollec- 
tion of  the  main  temple  of  the  monastery  with  its  three  seated 
figures  of  Buddha  in  the  centre  and  its  eighteen  Lohans,  or 
Genii  who  await  transformation  into  Buddhas,  along  the  sides ; 
also  of  a temple  beyond  this  in  which  is  a gilt  wooden  statue 
of  Maitreya,  the  coming  Buddha,  not  seated  but  standing  and 


38  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

with  his  head  touching  the  roof,  seventy  feet  above.  In  vain 
repetitions  of  the  name  of  this  divinity  fifteen  hundred  priests 
spend  most  of  their  time.  And  yet  these  clerics  are  some- 
times guilty  of  what  is  nearly  as  bad  in  them  as  simony  in  an 
English  clergyman.  They  sell  to  tourists  the  small  brass  or 
gilded  Buddhas  that  are  everywhere  to  be  seen.  Gods  were 
not  cheap  the  day  we  visited  the  place,  and  we  could  get  none, 
but  I have  seen  several  that  w'ere  bought  there. 

A great  contrast  to  this  repository  of  idols  is  the  Temple 
of  Confucius.  In  this  are  no  idols.  There  is  simply  the 
tablet  of  the  sage  standing  in  the  centre  in  a wooden  shrine 
with  the  tablets  of  some  of  his  most  eminent  disciples  on 
either  side.  Before  these  are  a few  gilt  bronze  censers  and 
some  other  articles  of  altar  furniture.  In  an  adjoining  court 
we  were  shown  the  ten  black  granite  drums  on  which  verses 
in  ancient  characters  describe  a hunting  expedition  of  the 
Emperor  Siuen  in  the  eighth  century  b.c. 

Words  cannot  describe  how  Peking  looks  and  smells  upon 
a wet  day,  but  we  had  during  our  stay  this  experience.  The 
only  cleaning  or  repairing  that  has,  as  a rule,  ever  been  done 
to  the  streets  is  to  throw  dirt  and  refuse  into  the  middle  from 
either  side.  In  process  of  time  two  great  dykes  full  of  ink- 
black  stagnant  water  have  been  in  this  way  formed.  In  one 
of  these,  if  a person  were  jostled  off  the  street,  he  might  be 
drowned,  and  probably  Peking  is  unique  in  this  as  in  other 
things,  that  people  have  been  drowned  in  her  neglected  streets. 
My  friends  would  not  venture  out  on  this  wet  day,  so  I 
amused  myself  looking  into  shops  and  learning  the  customs 
of  the  people  in  their  homes.  When  they  saw  that  I was 
interested  in  them  and  was  making  overtures  of  friendship, 
they  would  invite  me  to  come  in,  show  me  their  things,  and 
offer  tea,  calfbs,  a pipe  or  a cigarette.  Imagine  a China- 
man’s reception  were  he  to  try  and  get  into  the  houses  of 
London  people  absolutely  unknown  to  him  by  simple  civility  ! 
I was  followed  by  a crowd,  but  always  by  a good-natured 


Loo-man-tze  Street,  Peking, 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING 


39 


crowd,  and  on  one  occasion  they  became  so  pleased  with  my 
smiling  confidence  in  them  that,  taking  me  by  the  hands,  they 
brought  me  into  a mosque  and  showed  me  sacred  books  and 
other  curious  things. 

The  great  breadth  of  Peking’s  chief  thoroughfare  is  con- 
cealed by  two  lines  of  booths  that  have  sprang  up  in  a kind 
of  ditch  that  extends  on  either  side.  Behind  these  booths 
fantastic  poles,  gilded  signboards,  carved  woodwork,  waving 
streamers  and  lanterns  prevent  passers-by  from  ignoring  the 
shops.  In  this  broadway  may  be  seen  literati  nodding 
behind  saucer-like  spectacles  in  screened  sedan  chairs,  boys 
perched  on  the  tails  of  diminutive  donkeys  or  bestriding 
shaggy  ponies  bitted  with  a cruel  arrangement  of  wire  ; ram- 
shackle waggons  drawn  by  mixed  teams  of  mules,  asses,  and 
oxen  yoked  together  by  entangled  rope  traces.  There  are 
people  from  Thibet,  Manchuria,  and  Mongolia,  those  from 
this  last  place  frequently  in  charge  of  strings  of  camels  far 
finer  than  I have  seen  elsewhere.  A man  sits  on  every 
sixth  animal  and  drives  them. 

What  is  that  enormous  red  and  gilded  thing?  It  is  a 
catafalque  or  bier,  and  it  is  carried  in  the  funeral  cortege  by 
from  sixteen  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  bearers  accord- 
ing to  the  rank  of  the  deceased. 

At  every  street-corner  there  is  something  that  calls  together 
crowds.  They  are  now  gazing  at  a man  who  swallow's  a large 
ball  and  a sword,  and  who  puts  W'ooden  skewers  up  his 
nostrils  and  into  his  eyes.  A snake-charmer  charms  street 
arabs  as  well  as  snakes.  The  story-teller  seems  to  be  much 
appreciated,  judging  from  the  number  of  open-mouthed 
listeners  he  has.  Acrobats  perform  feats  and  musicians 
tweak  a single-stringed  guitar.  Gambling  proclivities  are 
pandered  to  by  a sportsman,  who  backs  a well-nourished 
fighting  cricket  against  all  comers.  People  wTho  possess 
only  one  pair  of  shoes  get  them  mended  while  they  wait 
by  cobblers  sitting  at  street-corners. 


40  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Pedlars  call  attention  with  rattles  and  curious  cries  to  the 
carved  jade  snuff-boxes  and  other  curios  which  they  have 
spread  upon  the  ground.  Those  who  would  keep  their 
heads  cool  amid  all  this  excitement  have  them  shaved  by  a 
wandering  barber.  He  uses  no  soap,  and  his  apparatus  is 
very  simple — two  sets  of  boxes,  one  containing  drawers  for 
cash  and  razors,  and  a seat  for  the  person  to  be  shaved;  the 
other  a stand  that  encloses  a pan  of  lighted  charcoal  for 
heating  water. 

It  seems  strange  to  have  an  invitation  to  lunch  or  attend  a 
polo  match  in  the  Temple  of  Heaven,  but  that  is  what  we 
had,  as  we  knew  some  British  artillery  officers  quartered 
there. 

The  Temple  of  Heaven  is  in  a park,  of  which  the  walls  are 
three  miles  round.  Here  on  the  Chinese  New  Year’s  Day 
the  Emperor,  who,  like  Melchizedek,  is  high-priest  as  well  as 
king,  prays  for  a blessing  on  his  people  and  offers  a bullock 
whole  and  without  blemish.  The  altar  consists  of  a triple 
circular  terrace  of  white  marble,  each  terrace  being  surrounded 
by  a richly  carved  balustrade.  In  this  balustrade  a curious 
symbolism  of  three  and  its  multiples  was  pointed  out  to  us. 
Hung-wu,  the  first  Emperor  of  the  Ming  Dynasty,  a.d.  1868, 
prohibited  all  prayers  but  his  own  to  God.  “ What  a confu- 
sion,” he  said,  “ there  will  be  above  ; what  intolerable  annoy- 
ance, if  you  people  call  all  upon  Him.”  Should  a common 
person  presume  to  worship  his  Father  in  heaven  he  may  be 
punished  by  Chinese  law  with  eighty  blows,  and  even  with 
strangulation. 

At  the  great  festival  which  celebrates  spring  the  Emperor 
also  officiates  as  Pontifox  Maximus,  or  high-priest.  This  time 
it  is  at  the  temple  of  the  god  of  agriculture,  where  at  the 
close  of  a religious  service  he  ploughs,  or  pretends  to  plough, 
a little  bit  with  a plough  which  is  painted  yellow.  Imperial 
representatives  do  the  same  in  the  provinces  with  red  ploughs. 
The  same  encouragement  which  the  Emperor  gives  to  the 


Temple  ok  Heaven,  Peking. 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING 


41 


production  of  food  is  given  by  the  Empress  to  that  of  clothing. 
At  a ceremony  in  the  ninth  moon  she  publicly  gathers  mul- 
berry leaves  and  gives  them  to  silkworms. 

The  officers’  mess  at  which  we  lunched  was  in  a building 
called  the  “ Hall  of  Fasting”  (there  was  no  fasting  at  our 
lunch) ; it  is  so  called  because  tho  Emperor  spends  hero 
fasting  the  night  before  New  Year’s  Day,  when  ho  goes  to  the 
Temple  of  Heaven  to  pray  for  his  people.  Tho  roof  of  tho 
Templo  of  Heaven  is  made  of  beautiful  blue  tiles,  to  represent 
the  sky. 

On  our  wray  back  to  the  house  where  we  were  staying  wo 
visited  the  Imperial  City  and  thought  that  we  had  never  seen 
anything  so  beautiful  as  the  artificial  lake  filled  with  tho 
sacred  lotus-plant.  The  lake  almost  surrounds  the  marble 
bridge,  over  which  we  passed  into  the  city.  In  this  city  are 
tho  houses  and  offices  of  Court  officials,  and  within  this  the 
Sanctum  sanctorum,  or  Forbidden  City,  where  reside,  each 
in  their  own  suite  of  apartments,  the  Emperor,  the  Eastern 
and  Western  Empresses,  and  the  Empress-Dowager. 

Most  of  this  City  of  Palaces  or  Palatial  City  might  be 
described  as  a series  of  reception-halls  made  in  the  shape  of 
portals  or  gates.  One  is  particularly  impressed  with  the 
beauty  of  the  colouring  of  the  roofs  of  these  one-storey 
vestibules,  and  with  the  carving  on  the  marble  steps  that  lead 
up  to  them.  The  thrones  in  them,  two  of  which  I desecrated 
by  sitting  on,  seemed  rather  shabby.  The  Emperor  gives 
audience  to  the  different  people  who  visit  him  in  different 
halls  according  to  their  rank. 

We  inspected  the  private  apartments  of  the  Emperor  and 
of  his  wives.  The  furniture  was  of  carved  blackwood,  with 
a mixture  of  European  chairs  and  sofas.  Jade  ornaments 
abounded.  There  were  many  clocks,  pianos,  and  harmoniums, 
but  most  things  had  been  removed.  What  had  not  been 
removed  was  the  dust  of  sleepy  centuries.  When  I sat 
upon  the  bed  of  the  “ Son  of  Heaven  ” and  noticed  the 


42  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


small,  olose  room  in  which  it  was,  I said  to  myself,  “ Here  is 
a man,  owning  a house  so  large  that  it  is  called  a city,  who 
sleeps  in  a room  no  bigger  than  a garret!” 

In  the  pavilion  of  the  Empress  was  a piano  and  a small 
organ.  The  much  finer  pavilion  of  the  Empress-Dowager, 
which  was  crowded  with  musical-boxes,  mechanical  toys, 
and  foreign  rubbish  generally,  had  in  it  some  really  fine 
embroideries.  A large  bronze  lion  with  one  paw  resting  on  a 
globe  and  the  other  on  a crushed  diminutive  lion  was  pointed 
out  to  us  near  the  Emperor’s  garden.  It  is  emblematic  of 
China  ruling  the  world  and  trampling  her  foes.  Rather 
ironical,  we  thought,  at  that  period. 

It  is  eight  miles  from  Peking  to  the  Summer  Palace,  but  to 
me,  riding  over  the  road  on  a fine  little  pony  which  my  host 
lent,  it  did  not  seem  nearly  so  long,  so  interesting  were 
the  novel  sights  which  were  to  be  seen.  There  was,  too, 
the  excitement  of  feeling  that  Boxers  might  fire  or  jump 
upon  us  at  any  moment,  for  the  country  was  still  in  a very 
troubled  state.  As,  however,  the  British  officers  who  were 
my  companions  had  each  at  least  one  revolver,  I felt  quite 
safe. 

It  is  said  that  the  Russians  took  five  hundred  cartloads  of 
loot  out  of  the  Summer  Palace,  but,  indeed,  all  nations  seem 
to  have  taken  a hand  at  that  game.  The  wonder  was  that  so 
many  beautiful  screens  and  other  things  were  left  in  the  rooms 
used  for  a British  officers’  mess,  where  we  lunched. 

I may  here  say  that  for  the  credit  of  their  professed 
Christianity  I hope  that  the  stories  not  only  of  looting  but 
of  far  worse  things  which  European  soldiers  did  were 
exaggerated.  Talking  of  the  foreign  troops,  an  able  official 
who  had  been  in  the  British  Legation  when  besieged  said  to 
me  that  they  “ made  a hell  of  Peking.  A rage  for  looting 
“ seized  the  officers,  and  they  left  the  men  to  do  what  they 
“ liked.  I found  in  one  house  seven  women  who  had 
“ hanged  themselves  to  prevent  being  ravished.  I saw  a 


Lkss  Impoktant  Street,  Peking. 


TIENTSIN  AND  PEKING  43 

“ Russian  soldier  bayonet  a mother  and  dash  out  her  baby’s 
“ brains  on  a big  stone.  Another  Russian  deliberately  shot 
“ a man  whom  I saw  walking  over  a bridge.  The  soldiers, 
“ all  except  the  Japanese,  seemed  to  have  gono  mad.  Their 
“eyes  looked  murder.” 

After  wo  had  seen  the  beautiful  grounds  of  the  Summer 
Palace,  the  artificial  lake,  the  marble  boat,  the  bridge  of 
sixty  marble  lions,  the  bronze  ox,  and  other  things,  wo 
climbed  a hill  and  got  a view  of  a very  wide  and  well- 
cultivated  plain  below,  and  of  the  ruins  of  the  old  Summer 
Palace  which  the  British  and  French  burned  in  18G0.  There 
was  at  the  top  of  the  hill  an  Imperial  domestic  chapel,  in 
■which  was  a statue  of  Buddha  that  had  been  blown  down 
by  Italian  soldiers,  and  another  on  its  last  legs. 

From  Peking  I returned  by  passenger  steamer  via  Checfoo 
and  Shanghai  to  Hong  Kong,  and  was  by  a chapter  of 
accidents  detained  four  days  at  that  dirty,  muddy  place 
called  Tonku,  from  which  the  steamers  start.  The  delay, 
however,  enabled  us  to  see  some  characteristic  life  in  the 
villages  around.  Oh,  the  filth  and  smell  of  those  collections 
of  mud  hovels  ! 

We  could  hear  that  the  northern  people  were  very  different 
from  those  in  the  south  of  China,  for  the  coolies  who  loaded 
and  unloaded  ships  spoke  to  sailors  from  the  south  in  pidgin 
English,  as  neither  party  understood  the  Chinese  of  the 
other.  We  could  see,  too,  that  the  northerners  were  far 
more  muscular,  because,  the  heat  being  great,  many  of 
those  who  worked  upon  the  river  wore  no  clothes  at  all, 
not  even  a loin-cloth.  It  was  fortunate  that  the  British 
matron  who  demands  fig-leaves  even  for  statues  in  museums 
was  not  there. 

We  went  to  have  a nearer  look  at  the  battered  forts 
on  the  much  winding  Peiho  and  the  camps  of  the  troops 
of  several  European  nations.  The  coming  and  going  too 
of  ships  full  of  soldiers  also  interested  us. 


CHAPTER  in 

CANTON 


A proposal  of  marriage — Pawnshops — “Mr.  Marco  Polo” — “Doctor 
temples  ” — The  five  genii — “ The  Temple  of  Horrors  ” — Pagodas — The 
largest  mint  in  the  world — The  water  clock — The  execution  ground — 
The  most  unique  sight  in  Canton — Prisons — The  greatest  centre  of 
gambling  in  the  world — Many  kinds  of  workers — Signboards — Fati 
and  Fatshan — Street  merchants — Names  of  streets — The  boat  popu- 
lation— The  white  mountains. 


IN  the  tramcar  that  ascends  the  Peak  of  Hong  Kong  a 
gentleman  introduced  himself  to  me  and  said  that  he 
could  not  get  any  one  to  marry  him.  “ That  is  sad,”  I 
answered;  “but  you  are  not  the  only  one  in  that  position.” 
“ Oh,  you  mistake  me.  It  is  all  right  about  the  lady — she 
comes  in  the  English  mail ; it’s  a parson  I cannot  get.  I 
want  to  be  married  in  the  church  in  the  Shameen  or  foreign 
settlement  at  Canton,  where  I live,  but  there  is  no  resident 
clergyman,  so  I thought  I would  ask  you  to  come  up  and  tie 
the  knot.”  With  the  permission  of  the  General  I did  so, 
and  every  one  was  most  kind. 

During  the  steamboat  journey  of  ninety  miles  between 
Hong  Kong  and  Canton  you  pass  some  considerable  villages 
and  the  Bogue  forts.  The  latter  have  been  more  than  once 
taken  by  the  British  and  are  ludicrously  inadequate  for 
modern  warfare,  although  they  have  a few  heavy  modern 
guns.  As  you  approach  Canton  tho  banks  are  planted  with 

44 


To  face  page  44. 


Five  Hundred  Genii. 


CANTON  45 

lychees,  loongyens  or  dragon’s  eyes,  whompeos,  persimmons, 
pommeloes,  and  with  other  kinds  of  fruit-trees. 

Then  appear  lofty  squaro  structures  of  granite  which  are 
used  by  the  rich  as  storehouses  and  by  the  poor  as  pawnshops. 
There  are  about  a hundred  first-class  ones,  and  they  arc  in 
all  parts  of  the  city  as  churches  are  in  a British  town ; and 
does  not  Canton  worship  Wealth,  of  which  these  storehouses 
are  a sign,  more  than  any  other  god  ? Every  evening  incense 
sticks  are  burnt  in  the  little  niches  outside  the  shops  where 
the  images  of  the  god  of  Wealth  are  placed. 

To  prevent  being  lost  in  the  mazes  of  Canton  I hired  a 
guide,  and  with  him  in  one  chair  I started  in  another  for 
a day’s  sight-seeing.  The  first  place  visited  was  the  hall  of 
five  hundred  genii  which  was  built  in  1847.  These  gilded 
figures  represent  the  disciples  of  Buddha,  and  one  of  them, 
dressed  as  a Western,  probably  erroneously,  is  said  to  stand 
for  Mr.  Marco  Polo,  as  our  guide  called  the  traveller.  No 
two  figures  are  alike,  though  they  all  have  hideous  ears.  One 
has  more  than  the  usual  number  of  eyes,  to  show  that  he  is  a 
great  observer ; another  has  very  long  arms,  to  signify  that 
he  can  reach  everywhere ; another  has  figures  of  children 
sprawling  over  him,  and  to  him  mothers  pray  for  male  issue. 

Near  this  hall  is  the  “ Doctor  Temple,”  dedicated  to  the 
god  of  medicine.  In  this  are  sixty  inferior  idols,  and  before 
the  one  having  a number  corresponding  with  the  years  of 
his  life  up  to  sixty  the  sick  person  prays  for  recovery.  If 
over  sixty,  he  begins  to  count  again. 

In  the  temple  of  another  “ Medicine  King  ” a great  many 
fans  are  presented  by  worshippers  on  the  god’s  birthday.  As 
the  iEsculapian  deity  on  the  morning  of  this  day  is  supposed 
to  have  returned  hot  and  weary  from  the  mountains,  where, 
in  search  of  medicinal  plants  for  the  service  of  men,  he  had 
spent  several  hours,  his  votaries  fan  the  idol  by  which  he 
is  represented  and  then  leave  the  fans  as  offerings. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  the  temple  of  the  Five  Rams,  on 


46  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

which  the  five  genii  who  preside  over  the  five  elements  of 
Earth,  Fire,  Metal,  Water,  Wood,  descended  from  heaven 
bearing  blessings.  The  rams  are  said  to  have  petrified,  and 
the  interest  of  the  temple  centres  in  five  roughly  hewn  stones 
which  are  supposed  to  be  the  genuine  animals. 

Need  it  be  said  that  we  did  not  go  into  each  of  the  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  temples  of  Canton  ? We  did,  how- 
ever, visit  one  more.  This  was  the  temple  of  the  god  of  the 
city,  or,  as  foreigners  call  it,  “ The  Temple  of  Horrors.”  This 
Chinese  Madame  Tussaud’s  was  not  as  gruesome  as  others 
of  the  kind  which  I have  seen  elsewhere.  On  either  side 
of  the  entrance  court  are  life-sized  wooden  figures  represent- 
ing people  undergoing  the  tortures  inflicted  in  the  ten 
kingdoms  of  the  Buddhistic  hell.  They  are  being  bored 
through  the  middle,  sawn  between  two  boards,  precipitated 
upon  turned-up  swords,  boiled  in  oil,  extinguished  by  the 
descent  of  a red-hot  bell.  People  are  having  their  eyes  and 
tongues  pulled  out.  Others  are  being  transmigrated  into 
lower  animals.  One  figure  is  being  ground,  as  if  he  were 
rice,  by  a hammer  worked  by  the  treading  of  a coolie.  This 
is  the  braying  a fool  in  a mortar  spoken  of  in  Scripture. 
A dog  waits  to  lick  up  the  blood.  There  is  a mirror  in 
which  the  man  sees  the  deeds  for  which  he  is  being  punished. 

In  this  temple  there  is  a curious  votive  offering.  One  mer- 
chant accused  another  of  fraud.  The  accused  hastened  to  the 
shrine  and  declared  his  innocence.  Shortly  afterwards  he 
died,  and  to  the  wrath  of  the  god  before  whom  he  made  a 
false  statement  his  death  was  attributed.  The  accuser  put 
up  an  offering  in  the  form  of  an  abacus,  which  is  an 
instrument  for  performing  arithmetical  calculations  by  balls 
sliding  on  wire.  Upon  it  is  inscribed : “ Man  with  man 
has  many  reckonings,  with  God  he  has  but  one.  That 
great  Being  seeth  in  secret.” 

The  Flowery  Pagoda  has  nine  stories,  but  the  so-called 
five-storied  one  is  not  a pagoda  but  a watch-tower  and  a 


~vr 


Thk  Temple  of  Hokkoks. 


CANTON 


47 


barracks.  From  it  wo  liad  a good  view  of  the  White  Cloud 
mountains  and  of  the  yamens  of  tho.Viceroy,  Governor,  and 
Tartar  General.  Asylums  for  those  who  have  “ no  oil  in 
their  eyes  ” (the  blind)  and  for  old  people  were  pointed  out 
to  us,  also  a village  inhabited  by  lepers. 

The  mint,  which  is  the  largest  in  the  world,  is  near  here.  I 
have  visited  it  more  than  once,  as  its  English  manager  is  a 
friend  of  mine.  It  can  turn  out  two  million  coins  each  day ; 
but  the  Chineso  coins  made  here  and  elsewhere  are  not 
nearly  as  highly  esteemed  by  the  natives  as  British  coins 
of  the  same  value.  If  a coolie  be  offered  a Chinese  ten-cent 
piece  and  a Hong  Kong  one,  he  will  say,  “ Give  me  the  piece 
with  the  foreign  devil  on  it.”  I hope  that  His  Majesty  Edward 
VII.  feels  complimented. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  the  “ copper-jar  water-dropper  ” or 
water  clock,  which  is  five  hundred  years  old.  It  is  composed 
of  copper  vessels  placed  one  above  the  other  upon  step-like 
platforms.  In  the  bottom  receptacle  is  a float  with  an  indi- 
cator passing  through  it  which,  as  the  water  flows  in,  rises  and 
shows  the  time.  When  leaving  the  room  in  which  the 
clepsydra  or  water  clock  is  placed  we  noticed  a small  bundle 
of  ‘‘time  sticks”  which  reminded  us  of  “King  Alfred’s 
candles.”  Each  of  the  sticks,  which  are  about  thirty  inches 
long,  burns  for  twelve  hours,  and  in  this  way  measures  time. 

The  potter’s  field,  as  the  execution  ground  literally  is, 
for  clay  pots  are  dried  there,  is  called  the  “Horse’s  Head,” 
from  its  form.  It  is  small  considering  the  terrible  amount 
of  business  that  is  done  in  it.  Many  skulls  were  lying 
about  the  day  we  visited  this  Golgotha.  In  one  corner  was 
a cross  upon  which  criminals  sentenced  to  be  cut  into  pieces 
are  bound. 

The  “city  of  the  dead”  is  the  most  unique  sight  in 
Canton.  In  each  of  its  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  small 
houses  is  a corpse  lodged  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  dollars 
for  the  first  three  months,  and  then  at  a reduced  price  until 


48  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


the  geomancers  decide  when  and  where  it  should  be  buried. 
Silk  or  paper  lanterns  and  representations  of  fruit  adorn 
the  roof.  There  are  large  screens  in  each  apartment  between 
the  coffin  and  the  door.  Tea,  fruit,  and  any  kind  of  food 
the  dead  person  particularly  liked  when  on  earth  are  placed 
for  him  on  the  altar  before  the  coffin  each  morning.  Card- 
board servants  wait  upon  him  with  cardboard  cups  of  tea, 
with  pipes,  and  with  other  requirements.  Two  smiling  paper 
females  show  his  spirit  the  way  to  heaven.  The  people  who 
thought  of  and  made  this  “ city  ” must  believe  what  we 
profess  to  believe — the  communion  of  saints. 

I was  so  much  interested  in  the  “ City  of  the  Dead  ” that 
I went  again  to  see  it  on  my  second  visit  to  Canton.  Failing 
to  get  a guide,  I hired  a chair.  The  bearers,  either  not  under- 
standing the  order  they  got  or  thinking  that  a prison  is  a 
city  of  the  dead,  carried  me  to  the  Nam  Hoi  magistrate’s 
prison,  one  of  the  two  filthy  establishments  in  which  Canton- 
ese law-breakers  “ do  time,”  and,  if  they  have  no  money  to 
bribe,  a very  indefinite  time  too.  We  noticed  that  the  street 
leading  to  this  prison  was  full  of  gambling  dens,  a fact  which 
is  eloquent  of  much.  Canton  is  probably  at  present  the 
greatest  centre  of  gambling  in  the  world.  On  coming  to  the 
door  of  the  yard,  where  the  prisoners,  with  chains  round  their 
necks  and  on  their  limbs  herded  together,  the  gaoler  demanded 
twenty  cents.  Having  paid  my  money,  I tried  to  go  in,  but 
it  was  only  a “look  see”  through  the  door  that  the  fee 
carried.  And  perhaps  this  was  enough,  for,  as  the  gaoler 
explained,  if  we  did  go  in  the  prisoners  would  probably  take 
everything  we  had  on  us  or  about  us.  “ The  place  is  too 
full,”  he  groaned,  “ and  half  of  the  prisoners  should  have 
their  heads  off.”  The  poor  wretches  were  indescribably 
dirty.  The  eyes  of  most  of  them  glared  with  hunger  from 
out  of  their  parchment-looking  faces.  My  companion  threw 
a five-cent  piece  among  them,  and  there  was  a scrimmage,  as 
at  Rugby  football — in  grim  earnest,  however,  and  not  in  play. 


CANTON 


40 


A fortunate  few  whose  friends  had  brought  them  something 
to  supplement  tho  regulation  ration,  which  is  the  smallest 
portion  of  rice  that  will  keep  body  and  soul  together,  were 
cooking  it  in  a corner.  It  was  pathetic  to  hear  the  prisoners 
using  tho  polito  formula  as  we  wont  away,  “ Go  slowly,”  and, 
looking  at  their  chains,  “ Excuso  our  not  going  with  you  to 
the  gate.”  On  one  occasion  wo  visited  the  Pwan-U  prison. 
This  contains  women  as  well  as  men,  and  it  is  even  worse 
than  the  one  described.  We  were  surprised  that  in  a city 
so  large  and  with  such  a bad  reputation  for  crime  as  Canton 
there  should  be  only  two  prisons  and  so  few  inmates  in  them, 
until  we  reflected  that  those  who  can  bribe  do  not  go  to 
prison  and  that  it  is  cheaper  to  cut  off  the  head  of  a criminal 
than  to  put  food  into  his  mouth.  Tho  Chinese  see  no  sense 
in  feeding  those  who  will  not  earn  a living  for  themselves. 
Two  years  ago  it  was  said  that  about  a hundred  executions 
took  place  in  one  particular  week  at  Canton.  This  may  have 
been  an  exaggeration,  and  it  certainly  was  considerably  over 
the  weekly  average.  It  was  after  the  New  Year’s  holidays, 
and  the  work  of  the  headsman  had  got  into  arrears. 

But  in  Canton  horrors  are  forced  upon  those  who  least 
desire  to  see  them.  Once  I had  to  pass,  on  going  from  the 
steamer,  a man  who  had  been  strangled  with  thin  ropes  in  an 
upright  wooden  cage  for  a robbery  which  he  committed,  or 
was  said  to  have  committed.  On  returning  to  the  steamer 
next  day,  the  corpse,  taken  out  of  the  cage,  was  lying  on 
the  jetty. 

We  visited  silk-weaving  shops,  and  halted  to  see  ivory 
carvers  and  those  who  wear  out  their  eyes  inlaying  green  and 
blue  kingfisher’s  feathers  upon  gold  and  silver  ornaments. 
We  saw  jade  stones  being  cut  with  wire  saws,  and  tobacco 
shaved  from  blocks  with  planes.  Even  the  manufacture  of 
little  red  candles  for  domestic  shrines,  and  of  big  ornamented 
ones  for  temples,  was  interesting.  Each  trade  has  a separate 
location  in  the  city,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  one  street  is 

4 


50  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

devoted  to  the  sale  of  beautiful  blackwood  furniture.  Tourists 
who  like  that  sort  of  thing  buy  pictures  on  rice-paper  repre- 
senting the  punishments  inflicted  in  China,  or  subjects  that 
are  even  less  decent.  We  go  a little  further,  and  there  are 
wholesale  tea-stores  or  shops  dealing  in  dried  sea-products 
or  in  rice,  millet,  and  other  kinds  of  grain. 

Nothing  impresses  one  who  visits  a Chinese  city  for  the  first 
time  so  much  as  the  signboards  that  hang  perpendicularly 
from  shops  and  hongs.  A good  one  is  a valuable  piece  of 
property.  In  bright  colours  and  gold  are  inscribed  the  sign 
of  the  firm  and  some  such  words  as  “ Never-ending  success”; 
“ By  Heaven  made  prosperous  ” ; “ Trade  revolves  like  a 
wheel”;  “Virtuous  and  Abundant”;  “Health  and  happi- 
ness rest  on  all  who  enter  here  ” — this  last  over  an  opium- 
smoking den  ! Hints  like  the  following  may  be  read  : “ Gos- 
siping and  long  sitting  injure  business  ” ; “ No  credit  given: 
former  customers  have  taught  caution.”  The  shape  of  the 
signboard  and  its  colour,  as  also  the  colour  of  the  letters  upon 
it,  indicate  different  trades.  The  brightly  painted  large  paper 
lamps  that  hang  over  the  shops  also  add  to  the  cheerful 
picturesqueness  of  the  streets  of  Canton  and  of  other  Chinese 
cities.  I liked  the  market  gardens  at  Fati  because  there  I 
saw  growing  upon  trees  cumquats,  carambolas  (Chinese  goose- 
berries), and  other  curious  fruits  which  I had  never  before 
seen,  except  plucked,  on  street  stalls. 

We  also  enjoyed  a railway  trip  which  we  took  to  Fatshan, 
a prosperous,  and  even  comparatively  clean,  town,  twelve  miles 
from  Canton. 

But  it  was  the  street  life  that  interested  me  most.  I 
had  been  warned  that  the  picturesque  charms  of  Canton 
had  to  be  paid  for  by  smelling  stinks  that  are  said  to  rank 
after  those  of  Amoy  and  Peking.  I was  agreeably  surprised, 
and  think  Canton  the  least  unsavoury  (which  is  not  say- 
ing much)  Chinese  town  I have  visited.  To  be  sure  I am 
hardened  in  this  respect,  for  have  I not  smelled  Naples 


CANTON 


51 


find  Valetta,  and  was  not  my  last  station  dear,  dirty 
Dublin  ? In  Canton,  as  in  other  Chinese  cities,  it  is  only 
banks  and  pawnshops  that  are  closed  in  front.  Other  shops 
are  quite  open,  and  you  can  look  at  articles  being  manufactured 
on  the  premises  similar  to  those  on  sale.  In  the  streets  are 
peripatetic  vendors  and  tradesmen  of  all  kinds.  There  is  the 
cook  with  his  portable  kitchen,  and  the  gardener  with  his 
basket  of  flowers  and  vegetables  slung  from  his  shoulders 
by  a bamboo  pole.  One  secs  in  the  streets  travelling 
blacksmiths,  itinerant  porcelain-menders,  ambulatory  seal- 
cutters,  migratory  bankers,  and  peregrinatory  makers  of 
sugar  puppets.  In  the  unhalting  procession  there  comes  a 
coolie  with  a tub  of  water  at  one  end  of  his  pole  and  a 
chopping-block  at  the  other.  After  a long  chaffing  palaver 
about  the  price,  some  one  orders  a pound  and  a half  of  carp. 
The  seller  nips  a fish  four  or  five  pounds  in  weight  out  of  his 
tub,  puts  it  on  the  chopping-block,  slices  it  up  by  the  back- 
bone, and  leaves  the  remainder  flapping  upon  the  block.  The 
author  of  “ Chinamen  at  Home  ” tells  us  that  when  on  one 
occasion  he  remonstrated  against  such  barbarity  with  a 
native  Christian,  he  was  thus  answered:  “I  am  a very 
tender-hearted  man,  sir ; I could  not  be  a butcher  and  kill 
cattle,  but  a fish  utters  no  cry.” 

Books,  most  of  them  of  the  “ penny  dreadful  ” kind,  or 
even  more  voluptuous,  are  spread  out  for  sale  at  the  street- 
side,  and  so  are  sheets  of  pawn-tickets. 

The  Chinese  have  no  objection  to  publicity.  They  take 
their  meals  in  the  street,  they  wash  their  feet,  sitting  in  front 
of  their  houses,  in  a basin  of  hot  water.  They  get  then- 
teeth  drawn  amidst  an  admiring  crowd,  by  a dentist  who  has 
round  his  neck  a ghastly  string  of  fangs  as  testimonials  of 
his  skill. 

The  names  of  the  streets  are  such  as  these : The  Street 
of  Benevolence,  the  Street  of  Ten  Thousandfold  Peace,  the 
Street  of  a Thousand  Beatitudes,  the  Street  of  One  Thou- 


52  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


sand  Grandsons,  and  so  on.  A particularly  unfragrant  street 
is  called  the  “ Street  of  Refreshing  Breezes  ” ! By  a similar 
touch  of  perhaps  unconscious  satire  one  of  the  noisiest  streets 
in  Peking  is  called  the  “ Street  of  Perpetual  Repose.”  At 
the  entrance  to  most  streets  there  is  in  Canton,  as  in 
other  Chinese  towns,  a gateway,  which  is  shut  up  at  night 
by  means  of  upright  wooden  posts.  Over  one  of  these 
gateways  my  attention  was  called,  by  a friend  who  knew 
Chinese,  to  the  name  of  the  street  which  was  put  up.  It 
was  the  “ Street  of  Increasing  Virtue.”  I had  myself 
remarked  the  increased  number  of  gambling  dens,  fortune- 
telling establishments,  and  other  rascalities  which  it  con- 
tained. 

Many  of  the  streets  are  roofed,  to  keep  them  cool,  with 
matting  or  with  plates  of  thinned  oyster-shell  fastened  together. 

About  three  hundred  thousand  people  live  in  sampans, 
house-boats,  and  huts  raised  on  piles  in  the  Canton  rivers. 
They  keep  very  much  to  themselves,  and  they  are  not  allowed 
to  marry  with  those  on  shore.  Each  sampan,  though  barely 
twenty  feet  in  length,  shelters  under  its  movable  roof  of 
bamboo  basket-work  probably  six  people  on  an  average. 
The  women,  generally  with  a child  hanging  in  a red  bag 
fastened  to  her  back,  work  the  boats.  They  and  the  children 
never  leave  them,  but  many  of  the  men  labour  on  shore 
during  the  day  and  return  at  night  to  their  sampans,  which 
they  can  easily  find  in  the  different  water-streets,  for  every 
boat  is  bound  by  law  to  keep  its  own  appointed  place. 

In  the  majority  of  cases,  however,  the  men  go  on  land  as 
little  as  do  the  women,  and  then  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  they 
earn  a living.  Certainly  they  are  most  thrifty,  and  very 
ingenious  in  inventing  ways  and  means.  They  dredge,  for 
instance,  for  coal  which  has  been  dropped  from  steamers,  and 
also  try  to  pull  up,  with  an  instrument  covered  with  hooks, 
purses  or  other  lost  property.  Many  of  them  are  like  that 
people  of  whom  it  was  said  that  they  earned  a precarious 


CANTON 


53 


living  by  taking  in  each  other’s  washing.  It  may  be  said 
of  the  Chinese  generally  that  they  rake  the  sea  with  the 
same  untiring  industry  with  which  they  cultivate  the  land. 
No  phase  of  life  is  unrepresented  among  the  water  popu- 
lation of  Canton.  Kitchen  boats  supply  hot  food  at  a very 
cheap  rate.  The  barber,  in  a tiny  boat,  paddles  him- 
self in  and  out  among  the  crowd  of  sampans,  attracting 
attention  by  ringing  a bell.  The  river-doctor  also  gives 
notice  of  his  whereabouts  by  a gong  or  drum.  When  his 
medicines  prove  fatal  there  are  floating  biers  to  convey  tho 
dead  to  graves  on  land.  Sadder  than  these  biers  are  the 
boats  tenanted  by  lepers.  These  afflicted  people  solicit  alms 
by  holding  out  a long  bamboo  stick,  from  the  end  of  which  is 
suspended  a small  bag. 

There  are  boats  that  sell  oil  and  boats  that  sell  firewood. 
That  one  with  a bundle  of  sugar-cane  hanging  for  a sign  from 
the  masthead  sells  fruit  and  vegetables.  There  are  boats  for 
the  sale  of  flowering  plants,  and  others  that  sell  perhaps 
nothing  but  bean-curd.  There  are  fish-boats  and  boats  for 
the  sale  of  pork.  Thero  are  crockery-boats,  clothing-boats, 
and  so  on. 

Flower-boats  are  fitted  up  with  coloured  glass  and  with 
wood-carving  brightly  painted  and  heavily  gilded.  They 
are  lighted  by  a number  of  lamps  and  of  reflecting  mirrors. 
In  them  wealthy  citizens  give  dinner-parties,  which  arc 
enlivened  by  richly  dressed  singing  women.  Whether  flower- 
boats  are  or  are  not  improper  depends  upon  those  who  visit 
them.  There  are  floating  hotels,  and  even  floating  joss- 
houses,  and  from  the  latter  often  proceed  deafening  sounds 
of  drums,  gongs,  pipes,  and  cymbals. 

Slipper-boats,  so  called  because  shaped  like  a Chinese 
slipper,  i.e.,  enclosed  at  the  toe  and  wide  open  at  the  heel, 
are  intended  for  speed.  They  are  propelled  by  four  men,  or 
two  men  and  two  women,  uniting  their  strength  on  two  oars 
only. 


54  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


No  matter  how  crowded  a sampan  is,  room  is  always  found 
for  a family  altar,  on  which  are  placed  small  gods  and  ances- 
tral tablets.  And  the  poorest  buy  flowers  for  its  decoration. 
Many  of  the  boats  that  carry  passengers  quite  glitter  inside 
with  gilding  and  red  paint,  and  though  so  many  people  live 
in  them,  one  need  not  be  afraid  of  vermin,  for  water  is 
plentiful,  and  the  boats  are  continually  being  washed.  Over 
the  sterns  of  nearly  all  of  them  are  suspended  long  baskets, 
in  which  are  kept  hens,  ducks,  geese,  and  perhaps  a pig  or 
two.  The  family  eat  is  nearly  always  tied  by  the  neck,  lest 
she  should  stray  away  and  get  into  a neighbour’s  pot.  Too 
often  the  women  who  work  the  boats  by  day  are  prostitutes 
at  night.  These  are  nicknamed  “Shuey-Kee,”  or  water-fowl. 

I was  greatly  pleased  with  a little  excursion  which  I once 
took  to  the  White  Mountains,  eight  miles  from  Canton.  The 
Monkey  Temple  or  the  Stork  Temple  affords  a resting-place 
at  night. 


CHAPTER  IV 


ON  THE  WEST  RIVER 


A bolt  from  the  blue — Kong-Moon — How  cold  the  tropics  can  be — Pirates 
— Dutch  Folly — A silk  country — Hafts — Lepers — Objects  of  interest — 
High-handed  ladies — Soup  and  rats — Ducks — Tigers — Wuchow — A 
“ pencil  pagoda  ” — Cheating  boats — A fire. 

THE  first  attempt  I made  to  go  from  Canton  up 
the  celebrated  West  River  was  prevented  in  this 
way : my  companion,  the  Rev.  E.  L.  Cowan,  chaplain  of 
H.M.S.  Glory , and  two  other  men  who,  besides  myself,  were 
the  only  first-class  passengers  on  the  steamer,  had  five  hours 
after  starting  sat  down  to  “ tiffin  ” in  the  little  saloon  which 
was  on  deck,  when  the  captain,  looking  out,  said,  “ There 
are  soldiers  learning  to  shoot  on  the  paddy  fields.”  “ Oh, 
I want  to  see  Chinese  soldiers,”  cried  I,  running  out  and 
followed  by  Mr.  Cowan  and  one  of  the  other  passengers. 
The  soldiers  had  their  hacks  to  us,  and  fired  several  volleys. 
Then  my  friend,  who  was  standing  on  one  side  of  me,  fell,  and 
exclaimed,  “I  am  shot.”  The  other  man,  who  was  a little 
behind  me,  said,  “I  am  shot  too.”  It  seemed  a bolt  from 
the  blue,  and  I could  not  take  in  the  situation.  Had  the 
soldiers  turned  round  and  fired  upon  us,  or  what  was  it  ? 

Mr.  Cowan  was  so  badly  wounded  that  he  was  brought 
back  to  the  Naval  Hospital  at  Hong  Kong  next  day  by 
H.M.  gunboat  Sandpiper,  which  fortunately  was  not  far 
distant.  Of  course  I accompanied  him,  and  so  ended  our 

55 


56  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

unfortunate  outing.  The  British  senior  Admiral,  the  Consul, 
and  others,  held  an  investigation,  and  the  explanation  which 
the  Chinese  authorities  gave  was  that  our  steamer  happened 
to  get  into  a battle  between  soldiers  and  pirates,  and  that  the 
volley  wrhich  we  received  was  one  from  the  latter  intended  for 
the  former.  “ If  you  do  not  believe  us,”  they  said,  “ we  can 
show  you  twenty-seven  bodies  of  men  who  were  killed  then 
and  there.”  Dead  bodies,  however,  can  always  be  shown  in 
China. 

On  another  occasion  I went  to  a busy  town  on  the  West 
River  called  Kong-Moon,  which  means  water-gate.  The 
number  of  things  that  are  here  made  out  of  bamboo  surprised 
me,  as  did  also  the  simple  and  ingenious  tools  used.  It  is 
the  centre,  too,  of  the  palm-leaf  fan  manufactory.  The 
journey  there  was  not  very  comfortable.  As  there  were 
three  opium-smoking  Chinese  in  the  one  little  cabin  of  the 
steamer,  I preferred  to  lie  out  on  deck,  but  even  with  two 
pairs  of  trousers  on,  three  shirts,  five  coats,  and  a blanket  it 
was  too  chilly  to  sleep.  How  cold  these  tropics  can  be 
sometimes ! The  noise,  too,  was  very  disturbing,  for  the 
Chinese,  who  lay  all  round  me,  never  ceased  clearing  their 
throats  (even  high-class  Chinese  do  this,  and  spit  every- 
where) and  talking  in  unmusical  tones. 

I lay  awake  looking  at  the  cold  clouds  and  at  the  bars 
which  divided  the  decks  into  compartments.  These  last  are 
necessary  on  West  River  boats,  because  pirates  are  wont  to 
take  passage  amongst  their  inoffensive  countrymen  and  in 
the  quiet  of  the  night  make  a sudden  attempt  to  seize  the 
ship.  They  can  be  shut  off  by  the  iron  gates  and  bars. 

A year  after  my  friend  had  been  wounded  I made  another 
attempt  to  go  up  the  West  River.  As  I got  on  board  the 
steamer  and  saw  the  guard  of  Indian  watchmen  now  con- 
sidered necessary,  and  heard  every  one  talking  of  the  activity 
lately  displayed  by  the  pirates,  I began  to  doubt  the  wisdom 
of  my  undertaking. 


ON  THE  WEST  RIVER 


57 


An  old  missionary  is  said  to  have  dispersed  a band  of 
pirates  by  taking  out  his  false  teeth  and  shaking  them 
at  them.  The  pirates  who  now  infest  the  West  River  are 
not  so  easily  frightened.  Not  long  ago  they  shot  one 
Englishman  dead  and  wounded  another  on  a Chinese 
steamer.  They  came  on  board  as  peaceable  passengers,  but 
the  accidental  dropping  of  a revolver  on  the  part  of  one  of 
them  and  the  torture  that  drew  from  this  one  the  names  of 
his  confreres  resulted  in  the  capture  of  five  or  six,  the  others 
being  shot  or  escaping.  The  captured  ones  had  their  nails 
pulled  out,  their  ankles  broken,  their  eyelids,  and  afterwards 
their  heads,  cut  off. 

Many  interesting  places  were  pointed  out  to  us  as  wo 
started  on  our  trip.  Wo  particularly  remember  a small 
island  called  Dutch  Folly.  In  the  early  days  the  Dutch, 
obtaining  permission  to  erect  a hospital  here,  landed  barrels 
and  cases  of  medical  comforts.  One  of  the  cases  burst  open, 
and  arms  and  ammunition  fell  out.  The  Chinese  looking  on 
observed,  “ What  fools  the  Dutch  must  be  to  attempt  to  cure 
the  sick  with  powder  and  ball.” 

During  the  first  two  or  three  hours  we  passed  large  rice- 
fields  that  looked  like  British  corn-fields  because,  being 
watered  by  the  river,  they  were  not  divided  into  little  chess- 
board plots  as  is  usually  done  to  facilitate  irrigation.  The 
banks  of  the  river  were  for  many  miles  planted  with  bananas 
for  the  sake  of  the  fruit  and  also  because  the  roots  keep  the 
earth  from  falling  away. 

Beautiful  hills  after  a while  came  into  view,  and  upon  the 
top  of  several  of  them  were  graceful  pagodas.  The  Gorges, 
unfortunately,  were  passed  at  night,  so  we  saw  little  of  them. 

The  silk  country  of  the  West  River  was  announced  by 
the  number  of  mulberry  shrubs  that  were  grown  to  feed 
the  “ precious  ones,”  as  silkworms  are  called,  and  by  the 
presence  of  the  large  junks  armed  with  old  cannon,  which 
carry  away  valuable  cargoes  of  silk. 


58  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


We  stopped  at  several  prosperous-looking  towns  to  let 
passengers  out  and  in.  The  massive  towers  of  numerous 
pawnshops  broke  the  monotony  of  the  low  roofs.  Here  and 
there,  embowered  in  large  venerable-looking  trees,  were  temples 
or  the  houses  of  wealthy  families. 

We  passed  several  rafts  carrying  timber.  The  rafts  take 
months  to  drift  down  the  river,  and  accumulate  so  large  a 
quantity  of  wood  that  they  look  like  islands.  Huts  are  built 
on  them,  sometimes  a little  village  in  which  the  crew  and 
guard  live. 

Large  flat-bottomed  boats  were  also  seen  loaded  with 
matting,  which  is  here  made  in  large  quantities,  or  with  twigs 
and  coarse  grass  to  be  used  for  fuel  in  brick-kilns. 

On  the  third  day  we  saw  a great  many  plantations  of 
sugar-cane,  and  the  bamboos  which  are  the  glory  of  the  West 
River  bowed  their  beautiful  ostrich-feathered  heads  in  greeting. 

Several  lepers  paddled  out  to  the  steamer  in  small  boats 
furnished  with  matting  coverings,  which  were  made  purposely 
low  in  order  to  hide  their  hideous  wounds  and  the  stumps  of 
members  that  had  rotted  away.  The  captain  threw  to  them 
bits  of  wood  upon  which  money  was  fastened.  This  was  to 
remunerate  them  for  keeping  bamboo  rods  stuck  up  as  a 
warning  against  rocks  and  shallows. 

The  captain  was  very  kind  in  pointing  out  the  Mark’s 
Head,  a rock  which  rises  1,410  feet  from  the  river,  the  Cock’s 
Comb  Rock  and  Weeping  Widow  Rock,  so  called  from  the 
appearances  they  present,  the  celebrated  marble  caverns 
which  looked  purplish  black  at  the  distance  from  them  where 
we  were,  a large  tea  plantation,  a hill  where  pirates  are 
buried  heads  downwards,  and  other  places  of  interest. 

In  many  parts  of  China  they  do  not  now  build  temples  or 
even  keep  existing  ones  in  repair,  but  at  several  of  the 
dangerous  corners  of  the  West  River  may  be  seen  tomples  or 
shrines  which  have  been  lately  built,  or  at  least  painted  and 
decorated  afresh.  Money  was  collected  for  one  temple  by 


59 


ON  THE  WEST  RIVER 

ladies  of  tho  congregation  in  a rather  high-handed  way. 
They  asked  every  man  for  a certain  sum  according  to  the 
valuo  of  his  property.  If  their  demand  was  not  complied 
with,  they  refused  to  take  less,  and  threatened  to  post  the 
names  of  the  niggards  on  the  city  walls. 

At  Pak  Tai  there  is  a temple  of  tho  god  of  the  North  which 
is  much  froquented.  People  beginning  a business  ask  his 
blessing,  and  if  they  succeed  present  a tablet  on  which  their 
gratitudo  is  expressed  in  gilded  characters.  A settlement  oi 
accounts  between  merchants,  drawn  up  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
is  sometimes  brought  to  the  temple  and  burnt,  so  that  in  this 
way  it  may  reach  the  god  and  be  registered.  Here  too 
masters  and  servants  ratify  their  engagements.  If  a man  is 
charged  with  theft  and  asserts  that  he  is  innocent,  he  is  taken 
before  the  idol  and  asked  if  he  will  declare  his  innocence  in 
its  presence.  If  he  does  so,  his  accuser  is  generally  satisfied. 

When  we  came  to  Sam  Shui,  the  steamer  was  soon  sur- 
rounded by  boats,  from  which  a sale  began  of  cakes,  eggs, 
fruit,  melon-seeds,  all  kinds  of  pickles,  dried  fish,  snails,  and 
soup.  A passenger  asks  for  the  last : first  tho  salesman  dips 
a bowl  in  the  river  to  wash  it ; then  he  takes  some  chopped 
onion,  a dried  shrimp  or  two,  a few  pieces  of  almond,  also  a 
little  finely  chopped  carrot,  turnip,  and  ginger  ; to  this  he 
adds  a bit  of  fresh  fish.  All  these  things  are  raw.  The  bowl 
is  then  filled  up  with  boiling  rice  water  and  a few  drops  of 
soy,  with  a sprinkle  of  salt  added  to  bring  out  the  flavour. 

Those  were  looked  upon  with  envy  who  could  afford  to  pay 
ten  cents  for  one  of  the  many  spatch-cock  rats  (split  open  and 
dried)  that  hung  up  invitingly.  The  rats  sold  for  food, 
however,  in  these  parts  are  not  always  dead.  A friend  told 
me  that  in  the  town  of  Sam  Shui  he  saw  a man  when  walking 
past  a shop  start  and  jump  aside.  A living  rat,  hung  up  by 
the  tail  to  let  people  know  that  that  sort  of  delicacy  was  sold 
inside,  had  bitten  his  shoulder. 

We  passed  several  duck  farms.  These  are  large  rafts 


GO  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


roofed  with  rice  straw,  in  each  of  which  thousands  of  ducks 
are  housed.  The  rafts  are  moved  every  day  to  a new  place, 
and  the  ducks  land  and  pick  up  snails  and  other  luxuries.  I 
was  told  that  certain  ducks  are  taught  to  look  after  the  flock, 
as  dogs  are  trained  to  shepherd  sheep.  When  the  owner  of 
the  ducks  thinks  that  it  is  time  for  them  to  go  to  bed  he 
whistles,  and  the  shepherd  ducks  drive  their  charges  on 
board.  Indeed,  the  whole  flock  hurry  of  their  own  accord, 
because  the  three  or  four  ducks  that  arrive  last  are  given 
sharp  knocks  on  the  head,  and  this  makes  them  careful  not  to 
come  in  last  again. 

To  supply  these  duck  farms  there  are  establishments  where 
eggs  are  artificially  hatched  with  heated  chaff  and  earthen- 
ware stoves.  The  Chinese  delight  in  ducks,  especially  when 
the  birds  are  split,  salted,  and  dried  in  the  sun.  As  there 
are  no  sheep,  or  very  few,  in  the  south  of  China,  but  ducks 
innumerable,  it  has  been  suggested  that  the  words  “ All  we 
like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ” would  be  more  intelligible  to 
the  Chinese  if  they  were  altered  into  “ All  we  like  ducks  have 
gone  astray.” 

We  heard  nearly  as  much  talk  about  tigers  as  about  pirates 
on  the  West  River.  One  first-class  liar  claims  to  have  shot 
seventeen  of  the  former ; second-class  liars  have  only  seen 
tigers.  A friend  of  mine  really  did  shoot  a man-eater  that 
had  killed  ninety  human  beings.  In  the  tiger’s  lair  were 
found  the  remains  of  an  old  man  carried  off  the  night  before. 
The  villagers  were  delighted  when  the  beast  was  killed,  put 
their  fingers  in  his  wounds  and  sucked  the  blood  to  mako 
them  strong.  My  friend  waited  three  nights  in  a tree,  under 
which  a dog  had  been  tied  to  attract  the  tiger,  for  tigers  are  as 
fond  of  dog  as  are  some  Chinese.  On  the  third  night  the 
great  creature  walked  stealthily  to  his  doom.  He  sprang 
upon  the  dog  and  flattened  him  to  death,  and  thou  received 
himself  the  two  balls  that  finished  him. 

Being  of  a peaceful  turn,  I and  the  two  other  European 


ON  THE  WEST  RIVER 


G1 


passengers  amused  ourselves  by  practising  with  a rifle  on 
coloured  stonos  and  other  inanimate  objects  on  the  banks. 

At  last  we  came  to  Wuchow,  the  terminus  of  the  steamer. 
The  city  is  thirteen  centuries  old,  and  has  a population  of 
about  fifty  thousand.  It  climbs  up  the  hills  in  the  back- 
ground for  some  distance,  but  seen  from  the  river  it  looks 
like  an  agglomeration  of  tumble-down  shanties.  There  are, 
however,  three  rather  fine  temples,  and  opposite  one  of  them 
a gateway  having  three  arches  elaborately  carved.  The 
Yamen  and  dyeing  works  are  worth  a visit,  and  one  ought, 
if  time  permit,  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  Peak  of  Wuchow  to  see 
the  magnificent  view. 

In  the  Pagoda  a light  is  kept  burning  when  a Wuchow 
candidate  for  a degree  is  competing,  as  long  as  the  exami- 
nation lasts.  At  another  place  on  the  West  River  a “pencil 
pagoda”  was  pointed  out  to  us.  It  is  so  called  because  it 
was  built  by  a winner  of  a degree.  Students  now  go  and 
worship  there  before  going  up  for  an  examination,  in  the  hope 
of  being  equally  successful. 

At  Wuchow  boats  of  a peculiar  shape  are  used.  They  have 
deep,  bulging  sides,  with  very  narrow  upper  works.  They  are 
built  in  this  manner  to  evade  the  customs,  as  when  loaded  it 
is  difficult  for  the  officers  to  ascertain  how  much  cargo  there 
is  on  board.  This  is,  of  course,  well  known,  but  it  is  winked 
at,  and  allows  of  a number  of  squeezes  being  introduced  on 
both  sides. 

The  large  amount  of  wood  in  Chinese  houses  and  the 
carelessness  of  their  inmates  cause  fires  to  be  very  common. 
Not  seldom  they  are  kindled  by  those  who  wish  to  rob  during 
the  confusion.  Every  fire  that  destroys  ten  houses  must  be 
reported  at  Peking.  If  eighty  houses  are  burned,  the  head 
official  in  the  city  is  degraded  one  step.  If  they  cannot 
bribe  off,  the  people  through  whose  carelessness  the  fire 
originated  have  to  stand  for  a certain  time  in  the  street 
wearing  the  wooden  collar  called  the  “ cangue.”  This  explains 


62  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

the  fuss  there  was  at  Wuchow  when,  during  our  stay,  two 
houses  burst  into  flames.  Immediately  people  began  beating 
upon  cans,  drums,  trays,  cymbals,  or  blowing  upon  a bugle  or 
large  shell.  Soldiers  belonging  to  different  corps  ran  to  the 
scene  to  prevent  every  one  except  themselves  from  plundering. 
Some  carried  spears,  gingalls,  and  blunderbusses,  others 
revolvers  and  rifles,  in  the  use  of  which  they  were  probably 
very  inexpert.  A military  mandarin  followed  on  a very  small 
pony  at  a more  dignified  pace.  He  knew  that  if  the  fire 
caused  a riot  and  the  riot  led  to  a rebellion,  which  in  many 
provinces  is  always  on  the  point  of  breaking  out,  that  he,  like 
the  Ephesian  town  clerk,  was  in  danger  of  being  called  in 
question  for  the  day’s  uproar  (Acts  xix.  40).  Then  the  fire 
brigade  appeared,  and  they  were  a curious  sight  with  then- 
gaudy  banners  and  their  hand  pumps.  They  had  no  “water 
dragons  that  save  from  fire,”  as  the  Chinese  call  the  fire- 
engines  at  Hong  Kong.  The  Wuchow  folk  who  could  assist 
no  other  way  endeavoured  to  frighten  the  fire  demon  by 
discharging  volleys  of  fire-crackers.  Truly  a homoeopathic 
remedy ! 

On  the  return  journey  I stopped  at  Shiu-hing,  and  stayed 
two  days  with  a missionary  friend.  He  brought  me  to  see 
a large  Buddhist  monastery  which,  like  all  establishments  of 
the  kind,  is  situated  amidst  precipitous  scenery.  The  trees 
which  the  monks  planted,  some  of  them  centuries  ago,  are 
a beautiful  monument  to  their  nameless  memory.  The 
wood  of  one  tree  that  grows  here,  called  Hung  Shu,  when 
pounded  into  an  aromatic  powder,  is  used  for  making  joss- 
sticks. 


Approach  to  a Monastery. 


To  face  page  62 


CHAPTER  V 


SWATOW,  AMOY,  FOOCHOW 


A general  resemblance  between  Chinese  cities— Wall  literature — Oysters — 
Mice  steeped  in  honey — Pewter  ware — People  very  civil — Country  round 
Swatow — Thatched  men — Amoy  celebrated  for  its  pigs,  its  graves,  and 
its  dirt — The  Temple  of  Ten  Thousand  Rocks — Pailaus — The  Min  River 
resembles  the  Rhine — The  “Bridge  of  Ten  Thousand  Ages  ” — Soap- 
stone— Foochow  a centre  of  missionary  effort — Apology  for  a good 
house — Not  luxury — A friend’s  grave. 

HIS  chapter  consists  of  notes  made  during  a short  leave 


spent  at  the  above-named  treaty  ports  and  their 
neighbourhood,  but  first  I would  remark  that  there  is  a 
general  resemblance  between  Chinese  cities.  In  all  that  I have 
seen,  except  Peking,  the  streets  are  only  wide  enough  to  admit 
of  two  sedan  chairs  passing  each  other,  and  any  one  who 
likes  makes  the  way  even  narrower.  There  are  on  both  sides 
of  the  street  fruit-stalls,  temporary  restaurants,  and  tables  at 
which  sit  gamblers,  fortune-tellers,  and  medicine-sellers. 
Old  things  that  look  as  if  they  had  never  been  new  are  spread 
out  on  matting  for  sale.  You  may  have  to  step  over  people 
covered  with  terrible  sores,  who  have  been  dumped  down  in 
the  street  to  die  or  to  get  cash  from  those  who  pass.  There 
is  a great  noise  of  bargaining,  for  the  lower  class  of  Chinamen 
haggle  for  a cash  at  the  top  of  their  voices.  Yet  with  all  the 
din  and  hurry  there  seldom  occurs  an  accident  or  an  inter- 
ruption of  good  nature. 

From  time  to  time  the  traffic,  which  consists  only  of 


64  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

human  beasts  of  burden,  of  coolies  carrying  chairs  and  other 
loads,  is  impeded  by  a wedding  or  funeral  procession,  or  by 
the  shabby-grand  retinue  of  a fat  Mandarin.  After  this, 
perhaps,  come  a dozen  or  more  blind  people,  each  resting  his 
hands  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  one  in  front  of  him — literally 
the  blind  leading  the  blind.  You  will  often  see  a procession 
in  honour  of  an  idol.  The  idol  is  carried  in  a gaudy  chair, 
and  is  preceded  and  followed  by  banner  and  lantern-bearers. 
A horrible  sight,  or  rather  smell,  in  all  Chinese  towns  is  that 
of  buckets  of  night-soil  which  are  carried  away  for  manure. 

The  streets  are  generally  paved  with  granite  flags,  but  the 
pavement  is  irregular  and  in  many  places  broken,  and  a 
careless  step  lands  you  ankle-deep  in  foul  mud.  The  streets, 
too,  are  slippery  with  decayed  animal  and  vegetable  filth. 
Dogs  abound,  and  are  nearly  as  dirty  and  have  nearly  as 
many  sores  as  the  beggars.  There  are  shelters,  like  dog- 
houses, at  the  upright  wooden  bars  which  divide  the  different 
wards,  but  these  are  not  for  dogs  but  for  watchmen.  On  the 
dun-tiled  roofs  of  the  one-storied  houses  in  which  most 
of  the  inhabitants  live,  seed,  firewood,  and  other  things 
are  dried.  At  long  intervals,  paper  or  other  lamps,  provided 
by  interested  shopkeepers,  show  up  the  darkness,  so  to  speak, 
of  Chinese  towns  at  night. 

Once  at  Amoy  we  walked  into  so  many  pools  of  black 
water  and  tripped  over  so  many  paving-stones  that  we  had 
to  buy  a bamboo  torch  and  get  a boy  to  carry  it  before  us. 
We  learned  then  why  every  self-respecting  Chinese  carries 
with  him  a lantern  at  night. 

A feature  of  Chinese  cities  is  wall  literature.  It  suggests 
the  “agony”  column  of  a Western  newspaper.  Mixed  up 
with  trade  advertisements  and  with  notices  of  lost  property, 
sometimes  consisting  of  human  beings,  there  are  announce- 
ments of  remedies  for  every  disease,  pills  for  the  cure  of 
opium-smoking,  lists  of  subscribers  to  a coming  festival, 
warnings  against  profaning  paper  or  female  infanticide.  It 


SWATOW,  AMOY,  FOOCHOW  65 

is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  wall  literature  has  often 
been  directed  against  foreigners,  and  especially  against  mis- 
sionaries. 

The  beggars  rouse  our  indignation,  chiefly  by  the  way  they 
ill-treat  children.  A sobbing  woman  bends  down  dramatically 
over  a little  child  who  is  forced  (what  pain  to  a child !)  to  lie 
as  still  as  death.  The  passers-by  are  meant  to  think  that  the 
child  is  dead,  and  give  money. 

Swatow,  though  situated  upon  a small,  muddy  peninsula, 
is  a very  important  placo  because  of  its  fine  harbour.  From 
it  large  quantities  of  indigo,  sugar,  and  oranges  arc  exported. 
Great  numbers  of  oysters  are  found  and  artificially  cultivated 
in  the  fiat  mud  shores.  The  Chineso  dry  their  oysters,  and 
seldom  cat  them  fresh.  Oyster-shells  are,  like  most  other 
things,  put  to  good  account  in  China.  They  are  scraped 
down  until  they  are  nearly  as  thin  as  glass,  and  used  for 
windows,  and  for  many  purposes  which  glass  serves  with  us. 
I have  been  told  that  a favourite  dish  at  Swatow  is  mice 
steeped  in  honey,  but  it  has  not  been  my  good  fortune  to 
come  across  it. 

Swatow  being  a treaty  port  has  had  a foreign  settlement 
assigned  to  it  on  a high  rocky  island. 

Pewter  ware  is  a speciality  of  Swatow.  I saw  in  a shop 
for  the  sale  of  tobacco  pipes  some  made  of  this  material 
having  bamboo  handles  three  feet  long.  There  were  also  to 
bo  seen  elaborate  water-pipes  made  of  pewter  like  the  more 
common  brass  ones. 

The  Swatow  people  were  very  civil,  and  one  man  brought 
me  to  see  several  guild-houses  or  clubs.  By  shaking  my  own 
hands  in  Chinese  fashion  and  showing  a tooth  of  mine  which 
is  cased  with  gold  I seem  to  get  an  entree  into  any  house  I 
want  in  China.  A beard  also  procures  for  me  much  respect 
in  a beardless  nation. 

I took  several  walks  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Swatow,  and 
admired  the  fine  trees  that  sheltered  the  villages.  Not  so 

5 


66  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


admirable,  beneath  the  shadow  of  these  trees,  were  the  un- 
picturesque,  malodorous  concrete  vats  where  dreadful  manure 
is  collected. 

The  orange  groves  around  Swatow  look  beautiful,  and  the 
fruit,  -when  not  picked  unripe,  which  is  the  Chinese  custom  in 
reference  to  fruit,  are  sweet  and  luscious. 

When  one  travels  in  a cargo  steamer,  as  I did  to  Swatow, 
one  must  do  as  the  cargo  does,  and  as  rain  prevented  the 
landing  for  three  days  of  the  perishable  goods  on  board,  we 
saw  rather  more  than  we  wanted  of  Swatow.  However,  the 
rain  showed  to  us  a specimen  of  the  people’s  ingenuity  in  the 
coats  of  cocoanut  fibre  which  they  put  on  to  shelter  them- 
selves. These  coats  are  made  like  the  palm-leaf  rain  coats 
worn  by  coolies  in  wet  weather  in  other  parts.  The  wearers 
look  as  if  they  were  thatched. 

The  population  of  Amoy  is  estimated  at  a hundred  thousand. 
There  is  an  outer  and  an  inner  city  divided  by  a ridge  of 
rocky  hills.  On  the  hillsides  are  many  of  the  large  horse- 
shoe graves  in  which  rich  people  are  buried,  and  five  millions, 
so  it  is  said,  of  a less  costly  kind.  These  last  consist  of 
round  mounds  of  white  concrete,  and  at  a distance  the  burial- 
place  looks  like  a washing  green  or  a collection  of  white 
beehives.  When  I expressed  surprise  at  the  number  of  graves 
a native  remarked,  “ Yes,  Amoy  is  celebrated  for  its  pigs 
and  its  graves.”  It  is  also  celebrated  for  being  the  dirtiest 
town  in  China,  but  from  a distance  it  looks  picturesque,  lying 
as  it  does  along  a boulder-strewn  bay.  Here,  as  at  Swatow, 
the  foreign  residences  are  all  on  an  island  separated  from 
the  city  by  a narrow  strait. 

Among  the  many  things  that  arc  made  at  Amoy  may  be 
mentioned  artificial  flowers  for  the  adornment  of  ladies’  heads, 
and  for  offerings  to  the  Imperial  dead.  Only  the  graves  of 
royal  people  are  allowed  to  be  decorated  with  cither  natural 
or  artificial  flowers  in  China. 

I visited  the  Temple  of  Ten  Thousand  Rocks  which  is  situated 


To  face  page  66. 


SWATOW,  AMOY,  FOOCHOW  67 

amongst  enormous  boulders.  It  contains  thrco  fine  gilt 
representations  of  Buddha,  and  images  of  eighteen  of  his 
disciples,  also  gilded.  Below  the  images  were  the  usual  big 
candelabras  and  censers.  A thin  smoke  curled  up  from  the 
slow  combustion  of  blocks  of  sandalwood,  or  from  sheaves 
of  smouldering  joss-sticks  standing  in  a vase.  The  pony  on 
which  I rode  was  a wonderful  little  creature.  Like  a cat 
it  ran  up  and  down  the  steps  of  the  steep  streets  and  so-called 
roads. 

We  were  also  advised  to  visit  the  temple  of  the  white 
antelope  and  that  of  the  tiger,  but  we  could  not  spare  time. 

We  saw  in  the  neighbourhood  several  handsome  pailaus. 
These  are  honorary  arches  erected  to  commemorate  virtuous 
widows  and  other  deserving  people.  It  is  thought  that,  in 
addition  to  being  thus  commemorated,  virtuous  widows  will 
enter  this  world  as  men  in  their  next  term  of  existence, 
which  would  be  as  great  promotion  for  them  as  it  would  be 
for  an  American  man  to  become  an  American  woman. 

As  we  steamed  up  the  Min  River  to  Foochow  we  were 
continually  reminded  of  the  Rhine.  The  town  is  nine  miles 
from  Pagoda  Island,  where  ships  anchor. 

Most  of  the  European  community  live  at  Nantai,  which  is 
connected  with  Foochow  by  the  “Bridge  of  Ten  Thousand 
Ages,”  said  to  have  been  built  eight  hundred  years  ago. 
And  certainly  the  bridge  was  no  scamped  work,  but  looks  as 
if  it  were  intended  to  last  ten  thousand  ages.  It  is  built  of 
slabs  of  granite  resting  upon  forty-nine  ponderous  pieces  of 
the  same  material.  Some  of  the  slabs  are  forty-five  feet  in 
length  and  three  in  breadth.  A numbor  of  street  stalls  are 
daily  established  upon  one  side  of  this  bridge  for  the  sale  of 
sweetmeats,  fruit,  and  the  many  curious  things  which  Chinese 
coolies  eat.  Here  too  you  may  buy  ornaments  made  of  a soft 
reddish  stone  called  soapstone  which  is  found  in  the  neighbour- 
hood. Often  the  head  of  an  executed  criminal  is  here 
exhibited.  The  last  time  I passed  over  the  bridge  two  thieves 


68  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

were  dying,  partly  of  starvation  and  partly  of  strangulation, 
in  two  upright  cages  surrounded  by  a jeering  crowd. 

The  tide  of  busy  life  moves  as  restlessly  beneath  the  bridge 
as  above  it,  and  I saw  nearly  as  many  boats  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes  here  as  at  Canton. 

There  are  very  fine  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  Foochow,  and 
the  city  itself  is  called  “ The  Banyan  City,”  on  account 
of  the  great  number  of  bastard  banyan-trees  in  and  near 
it.  The  “ whiskers  ” of  these  trees  that  hang  down  from  the 
main  branches  are  curious.  Another  name  for  Foochow  is 
the  “Three  Hills,”  because  ©f  the  three  hills  that  are  enclosed 
by  its  six  to  seven  miles  of  thirty-feet-high  walls.  Before 
the  tea  trade  began  to  fail  Foochow  was,  after  Canton,  the 
busiest  city  in  China. 

Like  Amoy,  Foochow  is  a centre  of  missionary  enterprise. 
Ask  Europeans  in  China,  who  sneer  at  and  pretend  to  despise 
missionaries,  where  some  information  can  be  obtained,  or 
where  you  can  stay  in  places  where  there  is  only  an  unclean 
native  inn,  and  they  will  reply,  “ Go  to  the  missionaries.”  I 
experienced  the  wisdom  of  this  advice  at  Foochow.  The  hotel 
was  quite  full  and  I did  not  know  what  to  do.  “Call  upon 
Archdeacon  Wolfe  ” some  one  suggested ; “ he  will  make 
you  all  right.”  I did  so,  and  that  fine  young  man  of  over 
seventy  years,  said,  “ Of  course  you  will  put  up  with  us,  and  I 
will  show  you  what  Ave  are  doing  here.”  After  he  had 
brought  me  to  the  churches  and  preaching  halls  Avliich  he 
has  built  or  rented  in  different  quarters  of  Foochow,  it  seemed 
to  mo  that  the  Archdeacon  performed  more  than  archidiaconal 
functions — that  he  had  a diocese  to  look  after.  And  yet  as 
he  said,  “ When  I came  to  FoocIioav  forty  years  ago  there 
Avere  only  two  Christians ; now  there  arc  twenty  thousand,  and 
a similar  advance  is  going  on  all  over  China.” 

The  Archdeacon  pleaded  guilty  of  having  an  excellent 
house,  and  apologised  for  the  crime  in  this  common-sense 
way  : “ For  a missionary  and  his  family  to  live  in  a healthy 


To  face  JHtrje  OS, 


SWATOW,  AMOY,  FOOCHOW  69 

house  is  cheapor  than  to  live  in  one  that  will  make  him  ill, 
and  necessitate  his  being  invalided  home  at  the  expense  of 
his  Society.  Besides,”  he  continued,  “ when  we  bought 
and  built  our  houses  things  were  cheap  and  the  houses  cost 
us  very  little.”  So,  too,  when  walking  up  to  a school  for 
Chinese  girls  at  Foochow,  I admired  the  pots  of  flowers  on 
oither  side  of  the  path,  the  lady  who  manages  the  school 
remarked,  “ Mr.  Sutton,  the  seed  merchant,  is  good  enough 
to  send  to  us  a present  of  seeds  every  year,  but  there  are 
many  critics,  who,  if  they  saw  those  flowers,  would  see  in 
them  another  example  of  the  luxury  of  missionaries.”  I 
may  here  say  that  at  a Church  of  England  mission,  lately 
established  in  far-away  Kwe-lin,  I know  a young  missionary 
whose  housekeeping  expenses  are  a little  under  £10  a year. 
This  is  not  too  much  luxury  for  a gently  bred  University 
man.  I was  also  much  interested  by  a visit  which  I paid 
when  at  Foochow  to  Miss  Oxley’s  School  for  Blind  Boys. 
These  unfortunates,  who  in  their  homes  were  being  eaten  by 
vermin  and  utterly  neglected,  have  been  so  well  taught  by  this 
self-sacrificing  lady,  that  they  greatly  astonished  me.  They 
read  well  from  books  of  raised,  romanised  Chinese  characters, 
sang,  played  musical  instruments,  and  went  through  physical 
drill,  in  which  last  they  take  much  pleasure.  They  are 
taught  to  earn  their  living  by  basket  and  other  work. 

I saw  the  graves  of  my  college  friend,  Rev.  Robert  Stewart 
and  his  wife,  who  were  murdered  on  the  1st  of  August,  1895, 
at  Hwasang,  120  miles  from  Foochow.  Their  two  children 
survived  terrible  injuries.  One  of  them  hid  under  a bed 
when  the  house  was  entered,  and  would  most  likely  have 
been  passed  over,  but,  noticing  that  her  little  sister  was  lying 
helplessly  on  the  bed,  she  threw  herself  across  her  body, 
and  received  the  sword-cuts  which  were  blindly  dealt  out. 


CHAPTER  VI 


UP  THE  YANGTZE 

Shanghai  the  Paris  of  China — Chin  Kiang — Nanking — Vain  repetitions — 
Water-buffaloes — Kiukiang — A wedding  celebration — Hankow,  Han- 
Yang  and  Wuchang — Between  Hankow  and  Ichang — Cheap  labour — 
Ichang  gorges. 

THE  Yangtze  is  the  second  largest  river  in  the  world, 
being  three  thousand  miles  long,  and  so  broad  in 
some  places  that  it  resembles  a lake.  Until  one  has  seen 
something  of  the  country  through  which  this  mighty  fertiliser 
passes  one  knows  nothing  of  China.  To  get  rid  of  this 
ignorance  I embarked  at  Shanghai  for  a holiday,  through 
a land  which  may  be  called  the  desire  of  the  whole 
earth. 

First  a word  about  Shanghai.  It  is  on  the  Whangpoa, 
a river  which  runs  into  the  Yangtze  at  Wusung.  It  is  the 
Paris  of  China,  and  many  young  men  are  ruined  by  its 
attractions.  Not  long  ago  a rich  Chinaman  asked  a friend 
of  the  writer  to  find  an  English  tutor  for  his  son,  as  if  the 
youth  were  sent  to  Shanghai  to  learn  English  he  would  be 
“ ruined  by  the  vices  of  foreigners.” 

There  are  in  Foochow  Road  tea-houses,  restaurants,  opium- 
smoking establishments,  and  baths  of  the  luxury  of  which 
I had  no  idea  until  brought  to  inspect  one  of  the  best  of  each 
by  a wealthy  Chinese  friend.  It  was  fine  to  see  Chinese  as 
rotund  as  porpoises  apparently  enjoying  baths. 

70 


Wheelbarrow  People. 


To  face  page  7 1 


UP  THE  YANGTZE 


71 


Even  in  the  foreign  settlements  there  are  shops  gorgeous 
with  gilding  and  bright  with  coloured  Chinese  characters, 
in  which  their  owners  sit  in  summer  baro  to  tho  waist 
displaying  their  prosperous  fat  and  in  winter  their  furs  and 
satins. 

Every  globe-trotter  visits  the  bubbling  well  and  the 
mandarin’s  tea-garden,  and  believes  that  the  latter  is  the 
original  of  tho  willow-pattern  plate.  Tho  Bund,  with  its 
palatial  banks  and  hongs,  is  a magnificent  thoroughfare. 
Here  in  the  evening  compradores  and  shroffs,  with 
their  womankind  painted  and  powdered,  drive  about,  as  do 
also  Americans  and  Europeans  who  can  afford  smart  traps. 
The  cotton  liveries  of  the  coachmen  and  grooms  are  some- 
times very  fantastic. 

A wheelbarrow  having  one  wheel,  covered  at  the  top  and 
sides,  is  the  vehicle  upon  which  impecunious  Shanghai  people 
drive.  You  will  see  one  coolie  pushing  a whole  family.  I 
have  tried  this  conveyance,  and  it  made  my  teeth  rattle  as 
it  bumped  along.  Outside  the  city,  if  the  wind  should  be  aft, 
a sail  is  commonly  hoisted,  and  it  was  to  this  custom  Milton 
referred  when  he  wrote — 

“ Sericana,  where  Chinese  drive 
With  sail  and  wind  their  canny  waggons  light.” 

The  Shanghai  gardens  are  a place  not  easily  matched  for 
passing  away  the  after-sunshine  hours. 

Like  another  place,  the  native  city  of  Shanghai  is  not 
mentioned  to  ears  polite ; but  I ventured  into  it  twice.  It 
is  like  stepping  back  three  hundred  years,  and  a pleasant 
though  unsavoury  change  from  the  up-to-dateness  of  the 
“ Model  Settlement.”  Europeans  pride  themselves  on 
stupidly  ignoring  old  Shanghai,  and  think  that  it  is  “bad 
form  ” to  visit  it. 

Leaving  Shanghai  at  7 o’clock  p.m.  in  a great  white 


72  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

two-storied  arch-like  steamer,  we  arrived  at  Chinkiang,  the 
first  of  the  treaty  ports  on  the  Yangtze,  the  following  evening. 
It  was  dark  and  wet,  so  I did  not  visit  the  native  city  going 
up,  though  I did  on  the  return  journey.  I may  here  say 
that  the  only  parts  of  the  towns  that  interested  me  at  which 
we  stopped  were  the  parts  where  the  Chinese  live.  These 
the  few  European  passengers  who  were  on  board  scorned,  and 
rushed  off  to  the  club  in  the  foreign  concession,  where  they 
read  newspaper  lies  and  played  games  which  they  might  have 
played  without  leaving  England.  This  is  the  way  they  saw 
China.  One  great  export  from  Chinkiang  is  ground  nut  oil ; 
it  is  shipped  in  baskets  lined  with  paper. 

The  most  striking  feature  of  all  the  principal  cities  of 
China  consists  in  the  high  castellated  walls  of  blue  brick 
by  which  they  are  surrounded.  These  are  particularly 
noticeable  at  Nanking,  for  they  are  as  much  as  thirty- three 
miles  in  circumference.  A large  part  of  the  space  thus 
enclosed  is  country  and  not  town — a rus  in  urbe  owing  to  the 
devastations  committed  by  the  Taiping  rebels. 

A friend  told  me  that  he  had  put  up  pheasants  when  he 
was  walking  upon  the  city  walls,  and  I did  not  know  what 
he  meant  until  I had  myself  visited  this  not  country  town, 
but  town  with  country  in  it. 

Nanking  is  a place  of  magnificent  distances,  and  the 
hospital  where  that  good  physician,  Dr.  Beebe,  to  whom  I 
had  an  introduction,  lives,  is  about  eight  miles  from  where 
the  steamer  landed.  Thanks  to  Chang  Chi  Tung,  a former 
Viceroy,  there  arc  macadamised  roads.  There  arc  also  many 
carriages  and  innumerable  rickshas  for  hire,  most  of  them  as 
beggarly  looking  as  the  people  who  are  mounted  in  them. 

Nanking  was  twice  the  capital  of  China,  and  we  saw  the 
ruins  of  the  Forbidden  City  and  of  other  buildings  considered 
essential  to  Chinese  royalty.  Some  seven  miles  distant  is  the 
tomb  in  which  the  founder  of  the  Ming  dynasty  was  buried  in 
1398,  surrounded  by  huge  stone  elephants,  camels,  and  other 


UP  THE  YANGTZE 


73 


animals,  like  tko  Ming  tombs  near  Peking.  The  number  of 
saddle  donkeys  for  hire  at  Nanking  is  quite  wonderful. 
Choosing  two  that  were  free  from  the  sores  that  aro  on  so 
many  of  them,  Dr.  Beebe  and  I rode  on  their  wooden  saddles 
(oh  ! the  hardness  of  them  !)  to  this  celebrated  tomb.  Next 
day  my  host  brought  me  to  the  Temple  of  Confucius,  which  is 
the  largest  of  the  kind  in  China.  The  walls  are  red  and  the 
roofs  yellow,  which  show  that  it  is  an  Imperial  temple.  It  is 
even  less  used  than  the  most  closed  up  of  our  English 
churches,  as  worship  is  only  carried  on  in  it  twice  a year. 

Wo  were  in  a Buddhist  temple  ; suddenly  the  hollow  trunk 
of  a tree,  in  shape  like  a dragon,  was  struck.  By  this  the 
priests  were  summoned  to  the  vain  repetitions  that  pass  for 
prayers.  Every  now  and  then  they  got  up  from  their  knees 
and  walked  in  and  out  and  round  about  in  a way  that  no 
doubt  had  a meaning  for  them.  At  every  step  they  said 
“ O-mo-to  ” — “ Praise  to  Buddha.” 

Besides  the  silk  and  the  cotton  cloth  which  takes  its  name, 
Nanking  supplies  China  ink  and  rice-paper.  This  last  is  a 
misnomer,  for  the  production  is  made  from  the  pith  of  a plant 
growing  in  marshy  places. 

Taking  another  steamer  to  continue  the  trip,  we  came  after 
some  time  to  Wuhu.  Here  we  had  an  opportunity  of 
observing  many  Chinese  forms  and  ceremonies,  as  a high 
official  who  had  travelled  with  us  landed  in  state,  with  a box 
for  provisions  and  a long  pipe  carried  behind  him.  Before 
disembarking  he  received  visits  in  the  saloon  from  neighbour- 
ing mandarins.  Their  silk  and  satin  official  robes  must  have 
been  soiled  when  they  knelt  upon  the  rather  dirty  floor  before 
the  great  man. 

At  Gnanking  there  is  the  finest  pagoda  I have  ever  seen. 
Near  the  city  we  passed  what  at  a distance  looked  like  a 
troop  of  cavalry.  On  coming  near  we  saw  that  it  was  a 
number  of  boys  sitting  on  water-buffaloes,  one  of  them  having 
an  umbrella  over  his  head.  This  is  the  way  the  buffaloes  are 


74  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

herded  when  feeding  along  the  banks.  The  boy  keeps 
away  the  flies,  and  the  buffalo  so  much  appreciates  this 
service  that  he  will  put  his  head  down  and  give  the  boy 
a leg  up  with  his  great  horns  when  the  youth  wishes  to 
mount.  Nearly  two  years  ago  some  of  these  herding  children 
reported  to  their  father  that  there  was  a buffalo  calf  in  the 
grass  that  did  not  belong  to  them.  The  father  went  and 
found  a tiger  lying  asleep.  He  called  out  all  the  neighbours 
that  had  guns,  but  none  dared  fire  lest  they  should  fail  to  kill 
and  be  attacked.  In  the  evening  the  tiger  awoke  and  took 
his  departure  in  peace.  There  is  always  plenty  of  work  for  a 
sportsman  along  the  Yangtze.  We  saw  many  deer  and 
pheasants,  and  every  now  and  then  flocks  of  wild  duck  and 
geese  almost  darkened  the  sky. 

We  admired  much  the  silver  ornaments  that  were  sold  in 
the  shops  at  Kiukiang.  As  we  were  looking  into  one  shop 
we  heard  in  the  back  part  of  the  house  festive  sounds.  It 
was  a wedding  celebration,  and  the  people  made  signs  to 
us  to  go  in.  We  did  so,  and  were  most  hospitably  treated 
and  shown  everything.  Would  an  unknown  Chinaman  receive 
similar  kindness  in  an  English  town  ? 

Of  the  three  cities  that  meet  together  and  almost  join — 
Hankow  and  Wuchang  separated  by  the  three-quarter- 
mile  wide  Yangtze,  and  Hankow  and  Han-Yang  separated  by 
the  boat-covered  Han — Hankow  is  the  largest.  Indeed,  the 
“ Million  -peopled  City”  is  the  commercial  centre  of  China, 
and  the  greatest  distributing  point  in  the  Empire. 

I visited  the  Kiangsi  Guild-house  at  Hankow,  and  thought 
that  it  was  finer  than  even  the  Swatow  Guild-house  at  Canton. 
It  is  less  ornate,  but  more  massive.  There  are  connected  with 
it  several  shrines  and  two  stages  for  theatrical  performances. 
Outward  religion,  business,  and  amusement  here  combine. 

The  principal  streets  of  the  native  town  are  flagged ; the 
others  arc  cut  into  deep  ruts  by  wheelbarrows,  and  always 
inches  deep  in  mud,  because  of  the  spilling  of  the  water  that 


UP  THE  YANGTZE  75 

is  continually  being  carried  in  open  buckets  on  men’s 
shoulders- 

The  houses  of  many  of  the  poorer  Chinese  along  the  banks 
of  the  Han  are  built  on  piles,  so  that  the  rising  of  the  river 
may  not  sweep  them  away.  Those  belonging  to  a lower  depth 
of  poverty  herd  in  mud  huts,  which  are  removed  as  the  water 
rises. 

Then  there  is  an  enormous  population  alloat.  Junks  and 
sampans — two,  three,  and  four  deep,  “like  the  teeth  of  a 
comb  ” — reach  for  miles  along  the  river-banks. 

Hankow  reeks  of  tea,  for  it  is  the  centre  from  which  the 
Russians  import  brick  tea.  I was  much  interested  by  a visit 
to  one  of  the  places  where  tea-dust  (only  inferior  broken  tea 
is  used)  is  compressed  in  metal  boxes  into  bricks.  So  many 
are  the  Russians  in  Hankow  that  there  is  in  it  a Russian 
church.  Here  I attended  a service  on  Good  Friday,  which  in 
the  Greek  Church  comes  about  ten  days  after  our  Good 
Friday. 

Opposite  Hankow  is  Wuchang.  Here  is  the  large  arsenal, 
where  the  Viceroy  and  other  officials  have  their  yamens. 
Having  spent  most  of  a day  in  this  town,  I crossed  over  to 
Han-Yang  and  visited  a large  Buddhist  monastery.  A 
monk  who  had  died  was  placed  in  a sitting  position  in  the 
square  wooden  coffin  in  which  priests  are  cremated.  Many 
ioss-sticks  were  burned  at  the  altar,  behind  which  the  box  was 
kept  until  the  cremation  ceremony.  Not  being  one  of  those 
who  like  to  see  China  Westernised,  I did  not  visit  the  iron- 
works at  Han-Yang.  Let  us  hope  that  more  gain  even, 
morally  speaking,  than  loss  will  come  from  the  disappearance 
of  antique  civilisation. 

Having  spent  three  days  very  profitably  at  the  American 
Episcopal  Mission  at  Hankow,  I took  passage  in  one  of  the 
smaller  steamers  that  go  to  Ichang.  From  this  place  onwards 
the  river  became  narrower,  so  we  could  study  the  villagers  from 
a nearer  point  of  view.  At  some  places  we  were  near  enough 


76  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


to  throw  empty  bottles  to  the  people.  These  they  find  very 
useful,  and  they  vied  with  each  other  in  running  and  tumbling 
down  the  banks  to  get  them.  The  girls  and  women  were  even 
more  keen  for  foreign-devil  bottles  than  the  other  sex,  and 
looked  quite  gay  as  they  ran  after  them  in  the  red  trousers 
they  wear. 

The  people  seemed  contented  and  even  happy.  They  were 
rich  in  not  having  wants.  If  only  poor  China  could  be  left 
alone,  and  not  made  to  desire  things  that  have  not  increased 
our  own  happiness  ! 

The  weather  had  become  warmer,  and  the  pink  peach 
blossoms  competing  with  the  plum  were  beginning  to  blend 
with  the  light  green  of  the  willows.  The  chief  business  of 
the  people  for  miles  along  the  river  is  cutting  and  transporting 
the  reeds  that  grow  near  the  banks.  They  are  used  for 
many  things,  but  especially  for  making  the  walls  of  houses 
when  they  are  plastered  within  and  without  with  mud.  The 
reeds  are  carried  away  on  carts  having  solid  or  spokeless 
wheels.  On  a lower  level  sledges  are  used  for  the  purpose. 

We  were  interested  in  the  bamboo  belts  that  are  put  round 
the  furnaces  in  which  lime  is  burned,  and  wondered  if  there 
were  anything  for  which  they  do  not  use  bamboo  in  China. 

Ten  miles  below  Ichang  the  dead-level  of  scenery  that  we 
were  having  altered,  and  we  got  to  the  Tiger  Head  gorge.  It 
does  not  deserve  so  formidable  a name,  but  there  were  finely 
coloured  and  many  shaped  mountains  at  the  back.  One  peak 
is  crowned  by  an  inaccessible  looking  Buddhist  monastery. 
Pyramid  Hill,  opposite  Ichang,  looks  just  like  the  pyramid  of 
Cheops  at  Cairo.  To  counteract  the  bad  influence  that  might 
come  from  it,  a monastery  has  been  built  on  the  Ichang  side 
of  the  river.  This  silenced  the  grumblings  and  thrcatcnings 
of  the  Feng-shui  prophets. 

Ichang  is  a walled  city  of  about  85,000  inhabitants.  On 
the  river  front  are  the  go-downs  and  other  buildings  of  the 
Chinese  Imperial  Customs.  There  arc  four  flourishing  mis- 


77 


UP  THE  YANGTZE 

sionary  establishments,  all  of  which  we  visited.  The  Ion"  hill 
behind  was  covered  with  graves,  which  looked  like  very  large 
mole-hills. 

The  number  of  boats  and  junks  that  were  packed  for  over  a 
milo  along  the  shore  astonished  us.  The  junks  are  strongly 
built  for  the  rapids,  and  some  of  them  arc  quito  handsome 
with  their  stained  and  oiled  woodwork  looking  like  var- 
nished pine. 

My  stay  at  Ichang,  where  there  is  no  hotel,  was  made 
possible  by  the  thoughtful  hospitality  of  the  head  of  the 
Customs,  Mr.  Unwin,  and  instructive  by  his  well-informed 
conversation. 

Labour  is  certainly  very  cheap  in  these  parts.  After  staying 
a night  at  a friend’s  house,  I gave  the  houseboy  a Mexican 
dollar  (not  quite  2s.).  Ho  turned  it  over  and  over,  and 
seemed  frightened  at  the  largeness  of  the  amount,  and  at  last 
handed  it  back  to  me.  I asked  his  master  what  this  meant. 
“Oh,”  he  said,  “they  do  not  understand  silver  here,  only 
copper  cash.  Give  me  the  dollar,  and  I shall  give  it  to 
number  one,  and  after  eulogising  your  generosity,  tell  him  to 
change  it  into  cash,  and  divide  it  amongst  all  the  servants  of 
the  establishment.” 

At  Ichang,  to  save  Europeans  the  trouble  of  carrying  cash, 
slips  of  bamboo  having  ten  or  twenty  cash  written  on  them  in 
English  and  Chinese,  are  supplied  for  giving  to  boat  and  chair 
coolies.  After  being  carried  in  a chair  by  two  men  for  an  hour 
I gave  them  a slip  with  twenty  cash  marked  on  it,  that  is  the 
equivalent  of  one  halfpenny  in  our  money.  They  were  over- 
come with  gratitude,  for  they  only  expected  ten  cash,  which 
make  a farthing! 

Those  who  track  or  pull  junks  with  ropes  get  twenty  cents, 
a day  for  walking  and  hauling  twenty  or  more  miles,  and  for 
taking,  like  patient  mules,  the  blows  of  overseers  on  their  bare 
backs.  We  talk  of  the  battle  of  life,  but  it  is  for  these  poor 
men  quite  literally  a tug  of  war.  The  track  ropes  are  made  of 


78  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

strips  of  bamboo,  and  that  so  skilfully  that  they  are  stronger 
than  hemp  ropes. 

On  account  of  the  great  danger  of  the  rapids  after  passing 
Ichang,  there  is  a well-supported  Chinese  Lifeboat  Associa- 
tion. The  boatmen  are  rewarded  for  every  life  saved. 

One  of  the  industries  of  Ichang  and  some  of  the  other  towns 
we  visited  is  stamping  paper  money  for  offerings  to  the  gods. 
When  the  people  think  of  doing  this  by  machinery  they  will 
probably  think  that  it  need  not  be  done  at  all. 

There  remained  but  little  time  at  our  disposal,  but  the 
thousand  miles  which  I had  come  from  Shanghai  would  have 
been  almost  wasted  if  I had  not  gone  further  and  seen  some- 
thing of  the  gorges  beyond  Ichang.  Fortunately  the  current 
in  the  river  was  so  weak  that  the  boat  we  hired  got  five  times 
higher  up  than  it  could  have  gone  in  the  same  length  of  time 
six  weeks  later. 

The  sides  of  the  first  gorge  through  which  we  passed  were 
3,500  feet  high,  and  our  motto  was  “ excelsior”  until  we  got 
to  a gorge  a thousand  feet  higher  than  that.  We  shall  not 
attempt  to  describe  the  fantastic  shape  of  the  rocks.  Most  of 
them  might  be  designated,  what  one  actually  is — pillars  of 
heaven.  Wild  monkeys  are  sometimes  seen  sitting  upon 
them,  but  they  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  come  out  and 
see  us.  One  of  the  arguments  of  the  Chinese  for  not  using 
steamers  after  Ichang  is  that  the  monkeys  would  throw  down 
rocks  upon  them  ! 

We  visited  at  different  elevations  quaint  villages  and  temples. 
Some  of  the  cottages  were  perched  on  apparently  inaccessible 
little  platforms,  with  the  small  children  belonging  to  them 
tied  to  rocks  and  trees  for  fear  of  their  falling  over.  On  lower 
levels  orange-trees  flourished. 

Between  Ichang  and  Hankow,  on  our  return  journey,  there 
was  one  day  quite  a sea,  or  rather  a river,  on,  and  it  was 
strange  to  hear  a lady  say  that  she  was  going  to  be  sea-sick 
when  it  was  on  a river  that  we  pitched  and  tossed. 


79 


UP  TIIE  YANGTZE 

When  wo  arrived  at  a place  where  we  had  made  the  acquain- 
tance of  a local  mandarin,  he  came  on  board  and  called.  He 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  cigar  which  we  gave  him,  but  after  a while 
returned  to  his  own  pipe.  The  stem  was  about  five  feet  long, 
but  the  bowl  was  very  small,  and  had  to  be  filled  and  lighted 
frequently  by  an  attendant,  who  apparently  had  no  other  object 
in  life.  Every  few  minutes  this  individual  walked  solemnly 
forward  from  behind  our  visitor’s  chair,  filled  the  pipe,  and 
blew  the  fire-stick  into  a flame.  The  mandarin  opened  one 
corner  of  his  mouth,  the  boy,  who  seemed  intelligent  enough 
for  higher  work,  inserted  the  stem,  and  applied  the  fire-stick 
to  the  bowl. 


CHAPTER  VII 


VILLAGE  LIFE 


Each  village  self-sufficing  — Drastic  measures  — Overcrowd  ing  — Thrifty 
husbandry — A Chinese  village  like  matrimony — Lepers— Stay-at-homes 
— Markets — No  roads — Idols  punished — Schools — Respect  for  scholar- 
ship— Theatres. 

THE  rural  Chinese  live  in  villages  for  protection  and 
sociability,  and  of  the  men  seen  in  large  towns  at 
least  half  keep  their  wives  and  children  in  villages  ten, 
twenty,  or  even  a hundred  miles  away.  A village  is  occupied 
by  members  of  the  same  clan  or  family,  and  all  have  the 
same  name.  Each  village,  with  its  special  hand  and  foot 
industry,  is  almost  self-sufficing,  growing  much  of  its  own 
food  and  clothes  stuff.  It  is  also  a little  principality  by 
itself,  for  the  Government  of  China,  though  nominally 
autocratic,  is  democratic  in  its  administration  and  allows  a 
large  amount  of  home  rule.  Nor  arc  the  people  heavily 
taxed  so  long  as  they  do  not  indulge  in  litigation  and  come 
within  reach  of  squeezing  mandarins. 

The  fathers  and  grandfathers  of  a clan  being  held  respon- 
sible by  the  Imperial  Government  for  the  conduct  of  a village, 
are  entrusted  with  much  power.  These  greybeards,  who  are 
themselves  much  influenced  by  elderly  ladies  with  well-hung 
tongues,  will  not  tolerate  scandal  in  their  communities. 
Indeed,  they  are  only  too  drastic  in  their  desire  that  Caesar’s 

wife  should  be  above  suspicion.  A friend  of  mine  came 

so 


81 


VILLAGE  LIFE 

across  a place  outside  a Chinese  village,  not  far  from  the 
British  frontier  in  Kowloon,  whcro  earth  had  recently  been 
turned  up.  Ho  asked  for  an  explanation,  and  was  told  that 
two  days  before  a man  and  woman  taken  in  adultery  had 
been  there  buried  alive  by  order  of  the  village  elders.  The 
culprits  were  put  in  two  holes  facing  each  other  and  earth 
was  shovelled  in,  not  all  at  once,  but  at  intervals  of  time,  so 
as  to  prolong  their  sufferings. 

Clan  affections  and  the  value  attached  to  posterity  prevent, 
as  a rule,  the  abuse  of  fatherly  correction  on  the  part  of 
Chinose  Puritans,  but  I have  heard  of  a hopeless  gambler 
and  opium-smoker  being  condemned  to  death  by  a village 
council. 

What  is  that  noise  and  crowd  in  the  main  street  of  a 
village?  A man  is  beating  a gong  and  is  followed  by 
another  man  with  his  hands  pinioned  behind  him.  A lictor 
close  at  his  heels  plies  a bamboo  on  the  culprit’s  fast-redden- 
ing back.  This  “ walking  punishment  ” has  been  ordered 
for  theft  by  the  villagers  themselves,  and  the  district  magis- 
trate, Gallio-like,  cares  for  none  of  these  things. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  headmen  in  a village  to  get  back 
stolen  property,  to  prevent  the  removal  of  the  stones  which 
mark  the  divisions  of  land,  and  to  keep  the  peace  generally 
between  neighbours. 

In  a country  with  so  many  poor  as  China,  and  where  the 
fields  are  not  enclosed,  a “lodge  in  a garden  of  cucumbers” 
or  of  other  kinds  of  crop,  in  which  some  one  watches  day  and 
night,  is  a necessity.  If  a thief  is  caught  he  is  at  the  least 
well  bambooed  and  tied  up  as  a warning  for  a certain  time  at 
the  village  temple. 

In  most  villages  there  is  a sort  of  insurance  against  robbers. 
Each  householder  pays  so  much  a year  to  a constable  or 
watchman,  who  manages  the  money.  This  official  recovers 
anything  that  is  stolen  or  pays  the  value  of  it.  If  a murder 
is  committed  little  or  no  notice  is  taken  unless  the  family 

6 


82  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


prosecute,  and  it  requires  money  to  do  this.  Frequently  the 
case  is  settled  without  going  before  the  district  magistrate 
by  the  village  elders.  They  put  a money  valuation  on  the 
murdered  one,  and  give  part  as  compensation  to  his  family. 
You  can  murder  for  from  two  to  four  hundred  dollars,  but 
for  a robbery  you  pay  as  a rule  with  your  head. 

Village  houses  made  of  stone,  brick,  wood,  mud,  or  only  of 
matting  are  huddled  together,  with  the  result  of  unhealthy 
overcrowding.  Land  must  be  saved  for  eatables.  There  is, 
however,  a great  difference  in  the  villages.  Some  are  dirty 
and  tumbledown,  others  comparatively  clean  and  well  built. 
Chinese  who  have  returned  from  Australia  and  California 
have  improved  many  villages  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Canton 
so  much  that  they  suggest  Devonshire. 

A village  is  generally  on  ground  a little  higher  than  the 
rice,  rape,  millet,  peanut,  or  whatever  other  crops  surround  it. 
In  front  there  is  a pond  in  which  fish  are  nurtured  and  slate- 
coloured  water-buffaloes  disport  themselves.  For  every  few 
houses  there  is  a concrete  threshing-floor  and  a receptacle  for 
liquid  manure. 

In  the  case  of  everything  except  rice  the  Chinese  put  a 
liquid  preparation  of  manure  upon  the  plant  rather  than  upon 
the  soil.  This  is  for  economy,  as  on  account  of  the  few 
domestic  animals  that  are  kept  manure  is  very  scarce.  Every 
substance  convertible  to  it  is  diligently  husbanded.  For  this 
reason  the  cakes  that  remain  after  the  expression  of  vegetable 
oil  are  kept.  The  plaster  of  old  kitchens,  which  is  blackened 
with  smoke,  because  the  kitchens  have  no  chimneys,  is  so 
much  valued  that  sometimes  new  plaster  is  put  on  in  order  to 
get  the  old  for  manure. 

Hair  is  carefully  collected  in  the  barber’s  shop  for  the  same 
purpose,  and  this  must  mount  up  considerably  in  a country 
where  some  hundred  millions  of  heads  are  constantly  shaved. 
The  Chinese  arc  market  gardeners  rather  than  farmers,  and 
they  keep  their  plots  of  vegetables  so  free  from  weeds  that 


Water  Buffalo. 


VILLAGE  LIFE 


83 


one  would  think  weeds  would  become  extinct.  Even  the  tops 
of  the  narrow  ditches  separating  the  rice-fields  are  planted 
with  single  rows  of  beans. 

As  a rule  the  only  power  used  is  man  power,  for  that  in 
China  is  the  cheapest.  The  simplicity  and  ingenuity  of 
agricultural  implements  call  forth  our  admiration.  The 
Chinese  seem  to  be  able  to  do  almost  everything  by  means 
of  almost  nothing. 

When  a rice-field  has  been  laid  undor  water  and  ploughed 
by  a water-buffalo  and  his  driver  wading  up  to  their  knees, 
rice  shoots  are  transplanted  into  it  by  a convenient  division 
of  labour.  One  person  takes  the  shoots  and  hands  them  to 
another,  who  conveys  them  to  their  destination.  They  are 
there  received  by  another  party  of  labourers,  standing  ankle- 
deep  in  mud  and  water,  some  of  whom  dibblo  holes,  into 
which  they  drop  the  plants  by  sixes,  while  others  follow  to 
settle  the  earth  about  the  roots. 

To  raise  water  from  a river  or  canal  to  irrigate  rice,  an 
endless  chain  which  moves  a number  of  buckets  is  worked 
treadmill  style  by  the  feet  of  coolies,  which  reminds  us  of  the 
Biblical  saying,  “ Thou  shalt  water  thy  ground  with  thy 
foot.”  When  possible,  bamboo  water-wheels,  often  thirty  or 
forty  feet  in  diameter,  are  used. 

In  the  time  of  haiwest  the  grain  is  beaten  out  of  the  ears 
on  the  edge  of  a basket. 

The  inhabitants  of  many  villages  can  only  afford  rice  as  a 
luxury.  They  call  themselves  “ sweet-potato  people,”  for 
that  is  their  usual  food. 

There  is  much  sugar-cane  grown  in  the  South,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  see  the  water-buffaloes  working  the  primitive 
pressing  mills. 

In  their  care  of  silkworms  the  peasants  show  great  powers 
of  observation.  They  study  the  habits,  weaknesses,  and 
idiosyncrasies  of  the  insect  to  such  a nicety  that  they  are 
able  to  regulate  its  digestion  by  exact  dieting.  The  mulberry 


84  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


trees  planted  for  the  silkworms  are  never  allowed  to  grow 
larger  than  currant-bushes. 

A Chinese  village  is  like  matrimony — difficult  to  get  into 
and  difficult  to  get  out  of.  It  is  built  in  this  way  to  puzzle 
evil  spirits  or  robbers.  With  the  most  honest  intentions  I 
have  wandered  about  a long  time  before  I could  find  my  way 
out  of  one. 

I have  seen  outside  a village  a number  of  lepers,  living  each 
in  a sort  of  dog-house  made  of  straw  or  matting.  When  they 
saw  that  I was  a stranger  they,  with  other  beggars,  exhibited 
their  sores,  knelt  down,  knocked  their  heads  on  the  ground, 
and  moved  their  clenched  hands  up  and  down  in  an  agony  of 
mendicancy. 

A leper  will  sometimes  sit  on  a doorstep  and  refuse  to 
move  until  the  householder  gives  him,  say,  fifty  cents.  He 
is  offered  ten  or  twenty  or  thirty,  but  no  ! When  he  sees  a 
good  many  people  approaching  he  cries  out : “ You  arc  rich 
and  I am  a poor  leper ; you  must  give  fifty  cents.” 

Chinese  lepers  believe  that  if  they  can  communicate  the 
disease  to  any  one  it  will  be  proportionately  lessened  in  them- 
selves. With  this  unselfish  object  in  view  they  will  wash  in 
wells  and  indulge  in  sexual  intercourse.  Villagers  sometimes 
become  so  exasperated  with  this  kind  of  conduct  that  they 
beat  lepers  to  death  or  bury  them  alive. 

There  are  many  Chinese  who  never  leave  their  native 
village  and  who  cannot  tell  you  anything  about  the  next 
village,  not  even  the  distance  to  it.  We  may  remark  that 
distances  between  places  in  China  are  not  fixed  quantities, 
but  vary  according  as  the  ways  to  them  are  rough  or  smooth, 
hilly  or  level.  On  level  ground  one  mile  is  called  two  li,  on 
a hilly  road  five  li ; when  the  way  is  very  steep  it  may  be  as 
much  as  fifteen  li. 

Life  in  an  ordinary  Chinese  village  would  be  considered  by 
us  deadly  dull.  After  work  is  over  there  is  nothing  to  do  but 
go  to  bed.  It  is  not  considered  respectable  to  walk  about 


To  face  page  85. 


VILLAGE  LIFE  85 

aimlessly  after  the  sun  has  set,  and  in  many  places  tho  people 
greatly  fear  tigers  or  evil  spirits  at  night. 

“ 1 Bright  shines  the  moon,’  say  you  ? but  list,  my  son, 

Hear  my  advice  and  walk  not  out  alone ; 

Or  if  alone,  on  duty,  you  must  go 
Forget  not  the  red  lantern’s  light  to  show.” 

On  every  tenth  day  in  some  villages  a market  is  held  and 
things  are  sold  under  large  umbrellas  made  of  palm  branches 
stuck  into  the  ground.  A great  many  cats  and  kittens,  tied 
up  by  the  neck,  arc  on  sale.  In  Great  Britain  kittens  are 
bestowed  to  save  them  from  being  drowned  and  girls  are 
given  away  in  marriage,  but  in  China  a man  buys  both  pussy 
and  wife. 

Leading  to  market  or  anywhere  else  there  are  no  proper 
roads  in  the  South  of  China,  but  only  tracks  that  arc  some- 
times cobbled  or  paved  with  slabs  of  granite.  Often  there  is 
nothing  to  walk  on  except  the  small  banks  that  enclose  the 
water  in  the  little  patches  of  rice. 

In  every  Chinese  village  there  is  an  ancestral  or  other 
temple,  in  which  gatherings  of  the  clan  take  place  with  the 
usual  accompanying  feasts.  The  tablets  of  successive  genera- 
tions are  arranged  on  shelves  behind  the  altar,  and  to  'honour 
the  spirits  of  the  departed  incense  is  burned  every  morning 
and  evening.  The  village  shop  of  miscellaneous  goods 
supplies  requisites  for  temple  service,  such  as  cardboard  and 
wooden  idols,  incense-sticks,  fire-crackers,  and  paper  money. 

Those  who  desire  to  see  their  names  posted  in  conspicuous 
places  sometimes  build  a second  or  even  a third  temple, 
though  it  is  a common  remark  amongst  the  Chinese  that  the 
more  temples  a village  has  the  poorer  it  is  in  money  and 
morals. 

The  idols  of  one  village  are  occasionally  brought  to  visit 
those  of  another,  or  they  may  be  borrowed  if  they  have  the 
reputation  of  being  able  to  cause  rain.  When  a god  does 


86  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

his  duty  the  villagers  are  careful  of  his  comfort.  If,  for 
instance,  a temple  at  a distance  from  a village  has  to  be 
shut  up  for  fear  of  thieves,  a small  opening  will  be  left  to 
give  the  idols  air  to  breathe ! 

Although  instruction  is  not  compulsory  in  China,  nearly  all 
boys  are  sent  to  school.  Village  schools  are  established  by 
the  joint  effort  of  a few  families.  The  teachers  are  poorly  paid 
(only  about  fifty  dollars  a year),  as  the  supply  of  them  is  in 
excess  of  the  demand,  but  they  are  much  respected.  Country 
families,  as  we  would  call  them,  generally  keep  a tutor  in  the 
house.  After  staying  with  a rich  family,  Mr.  Archibald  Little 
wrote : “ At  table  I was  surprised  to  see  at  the  upper  seat — 
that  is  next  to  mine — and  among  my  handsomely  clad  hosts, 
a poorly  dressed,  almost  ragged,  pale  young  man,  who  I was 
told  was  the  * Lao-sze  ’ (literally,  old  scholar),  or  family 
tutor.  It  is  gratifying  to  see  the  extreme  respect  everywhere 
paid  in  China  to  teachers ; their  extreme  poverty  would 
render  them  despised  in  Europe.  Villagers  are  proud  of  any 
graduate  who  may  live  among  them,  for  in  China  unbounded 
respect  for  learning  co-exists  with  unbounded  ignorance,  and  a 
literary  man  can  make  himself  useful  in  many  ways,  as,  for 
instance,  in  writing  letters  and  helping  to  win  a law  case.” 
(“  Through  the  Yang-Tse  Gorges,”  page  223.) 

The  great  event  of  village  life  is  the  occasional  visit  of 
strolling  players.  In  a very  short  time  a temporary  mat-shed 
theatre  is  put  up  on  some  barren  spot  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
village  ; around  it  cook-shops,  tea-shops,  gambling  booths  and 
the  like,  all  made  of  bamboo,  palm-leaves,  and  matting,  are 
erected.  The  place  is  like  a fair.  At  mat-shed  theatres  the 
audience  in  the  pit  stand  ; above  there  are  seats  for  subscribers 
and  local  magnates.  Seeing  me  standing  among  coolies  in  a 
theatre  in  a Hong  Kong  village,  an  Indian  policeman  came 
forward  and  saying,  “ It  will  never  do  for  a European  to  stand 
here,”  brought  me  right  on  to  the  stage,  which  made  me  feel 
as  if  I were  part  of  the  show.  However,  the  actors  bowed  a 


’u  face  pnffe  S’ 


87 


VILLAGE  LIFE 

welcome,  handed  me  a chair,  and  did  not  seem  to  notice  the 
incongruity  of  my  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  battle  in  which 
they  were  engaged.  When  I got  up  to  leave  one  of  the  per- 
formers insisted  on  bringing  me  to  see  the  dresses  and  other 
properties  behind  the  stage.  Chinese  actors  wear  many- 
coloured  gold-embroidered  clothes  and  hats  of  a period  before 
tho  Tartar  conquest.  Their  faces  shine  with  thick  paint  and 
threaten  with  fierce  artificial  whiskers  and  beards. 

There  is  no  curtain,  or  wings,  or  scenery,  or  stage  illusion 
of  any  kind,  and  the  play  is  not  divided  into  scenes  and  acts. 
When  the  actors  appear  they  tell  the  audience  who  they  arc 
and  what  they  are  going  to  do,  and  imitate  such  actions  as 
rowing  a boat  or  riding  a horse  so  cleverly  that  scenery  is  un- 
necessary. Should  one  of  them  be  killed,  he  gets  up  after  a 
decent  interval  and  walks  away. 

The  parts  of  women  are  nearly  always  taken  by  boys,  who 
imitate  well  their  shrill  voices,  mincing  movements,  and  even 
their  hoof-like  feet.  Respectable  women  do  not  go  to  Chinese 
theatres.  The  plays  themselves  may  be  unobjectionable,  but 
the  actors  take  great  license.  The  motions  of  the  actors 
are  like  those  of  puppets,  and  if  the  men  fight  in  a battle 
they  give  the  impression  that  they  take  no  interest  in  self- 
defence.  The  only  applause  that  is  heard  is  an  occasional 
prolonged  sigh,  but  the  pipes,  gongs,  and  cymbals  of  the 
orchestra  emphasise  important  sayings  and  doings  in  a way 
that  is  very  trying  to  European  ears.  The  play  is  “ long 
drawn  out,”  or  at  least  seems  so;  but  it  is  not  “lingering 
sweetness.”  When  the  plays  are  short  they  follow  each 
other  without  any  interval,  and  this  gives  foreigners  the 
erroneous  impression  that  they  are  all  ridiculously  long. 
Fifty-six  actors  make  up  a full  company,  each  of  whom 
must  know  perfectly  from  one  to  two  hundred  plays,  there 
being  no  prompter.  They  have  also  to  learn  all  kinds  of 
acrobatic  feats,  as  these  are  freely  introduced  into  “ military 
plays.”  Their  diet  is  carefully  regulated,  and  in  order  to 


88  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

strengthen  the  voice  they  walk  about  in  the  open  air  for  an 
hour  or  so  each  day,  the  head  thrown  back  and  the  mouth 
wide  open. 

A mandarin  can  command  the  services  of  players,  as  indeed 
he  can  of  most  people.  He  even  gets  money  from  them  in 
this  way : he  has  a warrant  made  out  ordering  a theatrical 
entertainment,  in  which  a space  is  left  blank  for  the  name  of 
the  company  that  is  to  furnish  it  and  the  date  when  it  is  to 
be  given.  This  document  he  sells  to  the  broker  who  bids 
highest  for  it.  The  purchaser  goes  to  the  managers  of  the 
theatrical  companies  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  threatens 
that  if  they  do  not  give  him  a certain  amount  of  blackmail 
he  will  put  the  name  of  their  company  into  the  warrant.  It 
pays  to  give  a good  sum  to  escape  this,  for  the  mandarin 
gives  no  remuneration  to  a company,  and  may  keep  them 
incurring  great  daily  expenses  for  a long  time. 

After  the  theatre  the  next  most  popular  form  of  village 
diversion  seems  to  be  a faction  fight.  Two  adjoining  villages 
may  engage  in  one,  or  it  may  be  different  parts  of  a single 
community.  This  last  was  the  case  when  some  coolies, 
returning  from  Hong  Kong,  where  they  had  not  heard  of  a war 
that  had  begun,  landed  in  the  enemy’s  end  of  their  native 
village.  They  were  taken  prisoners  and  severely  beaten. 

The  Jlong  Kong  Daily  Press  for  November  20,  1903, 
incidentally  mentioned  how  some  villagers  disport  them- 
selves, when  describing  a conflagration  by  which  almost  the 
whole  of  a village  near  Canton  was  burnt.  Gambling  led 
some  companions  to  form  a robber  band,  of  which  three 
members  had  been  executed  the  week  before  at  Canton.  So 
far  was  this  from  dispiriting  them  that  they  continued 
gambling  till  late  at  night,  and  then  singed  a cat  preparatory 
to  cooking  it  for  supper.  Some  of  the  sparks  from  the  hair 
ignited  the  mat-shed  in  which  they  were  assembled,  and  this 
the  houses  near  it. 

The  ways  in  which  the  population  of  towns  and  villages 


VILLAGE  LIFE 


89 


arc  calculated  are  vague  and  unreliable.  You  ask  an  ap- 
parently intelligent-looking  inhabitant,  “ How  many  people  aro 
there  in  this  village  ? ” He  will  tell  you  the  number  of  big 
pots  there  are  for  boiling  rice,  or  tho  number  of  pawnshops 
there  arc,  leaving  it  to  you  to  settle  how  many  persons  should 
go  to  a pot  or  a pawnshop. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


T0PSY-TURVYD05I 


The  unexpected  happens — Chinese  practices  which  we  think  absurd  can 


HEN  we  first  come  to  China  all  things  seem  to  be  upside 


down,  and  it  is  the  unexpected  only  that  happens. 
Meeting  a friend,  a Chinese  shakes  his  own  hands  and  not 
the  hand  of  his  friend,  which  is  more  sanitary  than  is  our 
custom.  If  he  wants  a man  to  keep  away,  he  makes  the 
same  movement  of  his  hand  which  we  make  when  we  wish 
him  to  come  to  us.  He  laughs  when  he  announces  the 
death  of  a relative,  and  a Chinese  bride  cries  at  her  wedding. 
If  you  go  into  the  office  of  a European  whose  hat  is  on  his 
head  he  will  take  it  off ; if  you  go  to  where  a Chinese  is 
sitting  with  his  cap  on  the  table  in  front  of  him,  he  will  put 
on  the  cap.  A servant  in  China  should  wait  at  table  with 
his  cap  on.  At  a Chinese  entertainment  the  post  of  honour 
is  at  the  left  and  not  at  the  right,  as  with  us.  If  it  is  a 
dinner  it  will  begin,  contrary  to  ours,  with  dessert,  and  end 
with  soup  and  rice.  At  home  dogs  are  tied  up  ; in  China 
cats  are,  at  least  those  belonging  to  boat  people. 

The  Chinese  are  not  only  at  our  antipodes  with  regard  to 
position  on  the  globe,  but  they  are  our  opposites  in  almost 
every  thought  and  act.  Our  shoes  are  all  blackened,  the 
Chinese  whiten  the  sides  of  the  soles  of  theirs.  To  us 


be  rationally  explained. 


90 


91 


TOPSY-TURVEYDOM 

observation  without  sympathy  is  torture,  but  the  Chineso 
seem  to  liko  to  be  observed  working,  eating,  or  whatever  they 
arc  doing. 

The  mourning  colour  in  China  is  white  and  not  black,  and 
the  Chinese  must  think  a white  cloth  upon  a dinner-table  as 
dismal  as  we  would  a table  covered  with  black  crape.  When 
foreigners  come  first  to  China  they  notice  that  men  wear 
petticoats  and  women  trousers.  As  a matter  of  fact  both 
sexes  wear  these  last,  only  the  peasant  women  whom  foreigners 
most  see  do  not  have  either  a petticoat  or  a frock,  but  only  a 
long  jacket;  and  tho  literary  man,  that  is  to  say  the  gentle- 
men of  China,  always  wear  a long  outer  robe.  A Chinese 
wears  a waistcoat  over  his  coat,  and  not  under  as  we  do. 
We  use  our  hands  to  play  battledore  and  shuttle-cock  ; the 
Chinese  have  no  battledore  and  kick  the  shuttle-cock.  If  a 
British  boy  is  puzzled,  say,  in  doing  a sum,  he  scratches  his 
head,  but  a Chinese  boy  kicks  off  a shoe  and  scratches  a 
foot.  Chinese  babies  are  carried  not  in  front  in  the  arms  of 
their  mothers,  but  upon  their  backs. 

The  Chinese  do  not  say  north-east,  north-west,  south- 
east, south-west,  but  east-north,  west-north,  cast-south,  west- 
south.  They  say  that  the  magnetic  needle  points  to  the 
south  and  not  to  the  north.  The  stem  of  a Chinese  boat 
or  junk  is  where  the  bow  of  a European  one  is,  and  at  a 
distance  the  boat  looks  as  if  it  were  sailing  backwards.  If  a 
boat  is  rowed  or  sculled  the  men  face  the  direction  in  which 
they  are  going,  and  do  not  turn  their  backs  to  it  as  we  do.  If 
a boat  is  hauled  up  on  the  shore  it  is  pulled  stem  foremost. 
When  unloading  a ship  each  burden-bearer  in  Great  Britain 
hands  a tally  every  trip  he  makes  to  the  overseer,  in  China 
the  overseer  hands  one  to  the  worker. 

Fancy  the  framework  of  a roof  being  constructed  before 
the  pillars  that  are  to  support  it ! This  is  done  by  the  Chinese, 
but  like  most  of  their,  as  we  think,  contradictory  practices, 
it  can  be  rationally  explained.  The  pillars  are  not  sunk 


92  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

into  the  ground,  but  only  upon  stone  foundations,  and 
the  weight  of  the  roof  is  required  to  keep  them  in  their 
place. 

A Chinaman  mounts  a horse  from  the  offside  instead  of  the 
near,  putting  his  right  foot  first  into  the  stirrup.  He  holds 
the  reins  in  his  right  hand  and  not  in  the  left.  When  the 
horse  is  in  the  stable  it  is  placed  with  its  head  where  we  think 
its  tail  should  be.  Many  tools,  as,  for  instance,  the  saw,  are 
used  in  an  almost  opposite  way  from  what  we  use  them. 
Stockings  are  knitted  from  the  toe  upwards.  The  beginning 
of  a Chinese  book  is  where  a Western  one  ends,  and  it  is 
read  from  right  to  left  and  from  top  to  bottom.  The  notes,  if 
any,  are  placed  on  the  top  of  the  page,  and  separated  from 
the  page  by  a line.  Books  are  placed  on  shelves  on  top 
of  one  another,  instead  of  side  by  side.  The  Chinese  arrange 
their  dates  the  opposite  way  to  what  we  do,  putting  the  year 
first,  the  month  next,  and  the  day  last.  They  turn  their 
fractions  upside  down,  and  instead  of  saying  four-sixths,  for 
instance,  they  say  six-fourths.  Decimal  fractions,  however, 
are  their  vulgar  fractions,  or  those  in  common  use.  Tell  a 
Chinese  clerk  to  fasten  together  some  documents  numbered 
from  one  to  ten,  and  he  will  do  it  in  the  reverse  order.  In  the 
perspective  of  Chinese  pictures  things  get  larger  instead  of 
smaller. 

The  Chinese  place  the  family  name  before  that  of  the 
individual,  saying,  as  it  were,  Smith  John  instead  of  John 
Smith.  We  speak  of  being  killed  by  lightning,  the  Chinese 
of  being  killed  by  thunder.  In  other  countries  if  a man 
wishes  to  wreak  vengeance  on  an  enemy  he  kills  him,  in 
China  he  kills  himself.  To  plague  the  life  of  an  adversary  he 
takes  away  his  own  life.  He  believes  that  his  spirit  will 
haunt  and  torment  the  man  who  has  offended,  or  at  least  that 
the  mandarins  will  make  it  troublosomc  if  a dead  body  is 
found  on  his  premises  or  even  at  his  door.  A dead  Chinaman 
is  nearly  always  more  considered  than  a living  one,  and  the 


TOPSY-TURVEYDOM  03 

most  important  event  in  his  life  is,  to  speak  in  an  Irish  way, 
his  funeral. 

In  Europo  the  best  places  are  occupied  by  the  living,  in 
China  by  tho  dead.  In  life  a Chinaman  pigs  it  in  a hovol 
little  raised  above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  swamp ; in 
death  ho  occupies  a breezy  hill-side  spot,  commanding  often  a 
charming  view.  In  Chinese  towns  drains  are  on  the  surface, 
which,  though  less  agreeable  to  the  nose,  are  healthier  than 
our  underground  drains.  Europeans  only  drink  hot  water  as 
an  emetic,  Chinese  never  drink  water  cold.  A Chinese 
watchman,  policeman,  or  soldier  doos  not  conceal  himself  in 
order  to  arrest  thieves,  but  beats  upon  bamboo  sticks,  blows 
a long  bugle,  or  makes  some  other  noise  to  frighten  them 
away.  We  match  honest  men  against  thieves,  not  so  the 
Chinese ; they  make  an  arrangement  with  robber-leaders,  and 
in  this  way  set  a thief  to  catch  a thief.  If  two  or  more 
Western  people  are  walking  together  they  will  go  side  by 
side,  but  the  Chinese  invariably  walk  ono  after  another, 
having  probably  acquired  the  habit  by  walking  on  the  narrow 
paths  that  surround  rice-fields. 

With  us  pawnshops  aro  the  sign  of  a poor  neighbourhood, 
in  China  of  a rich  one,  because  they  are  used  as  much  for 
warehousing  summer  or  winter  articles  in  the  off-season  as 
for  “ raising  the  wind.”  On  the  roofs  of  many  of  them  are 
kept  large  jars  full  of  vitriol,  ready  to  be  thrown  down  on 
people  attempting  to  rob  them. 

Honours  in  China  flow  upstream,  so  that  deceased  ancestors 
derive  titles  of  distinction  from  their  worthy  offspring.  This 
is  a sensible  arrangement,  because  it  is  by  reason  of  our 
ancestors  and  not  of  our  successors  that  we  are  what  we  are. 
A dutiful  son  seeks  reputation  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  reflect- 
ing it  back  upon  his  parents,  and  dreads  disgrace  lest  it  should 
bring  reproach  on  their  name.  Indeed,  it  is  the  duty  of  a son 
who  has  been  honoured  by  the  Emperor  to  ask  that  a title  one 
degree  higher  than  his  own  may  be  conferred  upon  his  father. 


94  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

In  the  Western  world  a lady  goes  into  a room  before  a man, 
and  in  everything  else  is  given  the  preference.  In  China  she 
takes  a very  back  seat  indeed,  and  when  she  speaks  to  a man 
she  stands  up  to  show  respect.  Instead  of  being  honoured 
more  than  men,  she  is  considered  an  inferior  animal. 

At  a Chinese  wedding  the  bridegroom  is  the  centre  of 
attraction,  and  in  reference  to  the  bride,  there  is  only  the 
curiosity  which  is  felt  to  see  what  sort  of  a bargain  the  family 
made  in  getting  her.  We  regard  a husband  and  wife  as  the 
basis  of  a new  family ; in  China  they  are  only  the  latest 
branch  of  a family  tree.  Accordingly  the  bride  goes  to  live 
with  her  husband’s  family,  where  she  is  nothing  but  an  echo 
and  a shadow. 

It  must  seem  disagreeably  topsy-turvey  to  ladies,  on  coming 
first  to  China,  to  find  “ boys  ” — that  is  to  say,  servant  men — 
doing  the  work  which  house-  and  lady’s-maids  do  at  home. 
The  boy  brings  early  morning  tea  into  a room  occupied  by 
married  people,  and  enters  the  apartment  of  a young  lady  with 
little  or  no  warning  to  arrange  her  bath.  The  Chinese  think 
our  plan  of  chambermaids  bringing  tea  and  hot  water  into 
the  rooms  of  unmarried  men  no  less  improper. 

To  us,  uncut  nails  are  disgusting ; to  the  Chinese,  nails  so 
long  that  they  have  to  be  protected  by  cases  are  very  stylish, 
because  they  indicate  that  their  owner  does  no  menial  work. 

When  there  is  a fete  in  a Chinese  family,  or  visitors  are 
expected,  the  chairs,  made  usually  of  marble  or  bamboo,  are 
covered  with  embroidered  red  satin  covers,  which  is  the  con- 
trary of  what  is  done  in  Europe,  where  the  furniture  is 
uncovered  on  important  occasions.  The  Chinaman  puts  a 
candlestick  into  a candle,  and  not  the  reverse.  The  Chinese 
pluck  and  eat  their  fruit  unripe,  and  think  that  our  habit  of 
eating  ripe  fruit  is  unwholesome. 

To  us  the  idea  of  a pillow  is  something  soft  on  which  the 
head  rests ; to  the  Chinese  it  is  a rounded  piece  of  wood  or 
lacquer  ware,  which  supports  only  the  neck. 


CHAPTER  IX 


SOME  CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS 


Fashion  and  custom  differ  with  locality — What  would  the  Chinese  not  do  if 
they  were  unanimous? — Fish-fights  and  cricket-fights — The  braying  of 
a donkey  stopped — The  Chinaman’s  expression,  his  patience,  his  ability 
to  sleep,  his  materialism,  his  integrity,  his  dirt — Chinese  proverbial 
philosophy — Natural  orators — Conjuring — Men  of  resource — Two  im- 
pressive things — Early  inventions — Why  do  the  Chinese  not  know 
more? — Great  at  organising — Guilds  of  beggars  and  thieves — Gambling 
propensities — Privacy  not  respected — A debtor  and  credit  account  with 
Heaven — Want  of  sympathy — Loss  of  face— Resemblance  between  the 
Chinese  and  the  English. 


N order  to  find  out  the  characteristics  of  the  Chinese 


people,  one  ought  to  see  many  parts  of  the  country,  for 
fashion  and  custom  differ  with  locality.  “ You  should  he 
born  in  Soochow,  live  at  Canton,  and  die  at  Ningpo,”  is  a 
saying  that  shows  how  each  place  is  generally  a speciality  for 
something.  Birth  in  Soochow  is  an  advantage  because  the 
people  there  are  better  looking  than  elsewhere ; living  at 
Canton  is  preferable  because  especially  luxurious  ; and  should 
luxuries  shorten  your  life,  you  cannot  get  anywhere  a coffin 
better  than  at  Ningpo. 

Practically  the  eighteen  provinces  into  which  China  is 
divided  are  as  distinct  from  each  other  as  are  the  countries 
of  Europe.  This  is  why,  in  our  wars  with  China,  coolies 
were  willing  to  earn  pay  and  rations  by  helping  to  work 
British  guns,  and  showed  the  pride  of  good  workmanship 


95 


4 


96  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


when  a shot  made  a lane  through  their  countrymen.  I have 
often  heard  Chinese  belonging  to  different  provinces  talking  to 
each  other  in  pidgin  English.  Curran  said  of  an  Irish  inn, 
where  he  had  spent  a night,  “ The  fleas  were  so  many  and  so 
vicious  if  they  had  only  been  unanimous  they  would  have 
lifted  me  out  of  bed.”  What  could  the  Chinese  not  do  if  they 
were  unanimous  ? 

The  Chinese  are  fond  of  their  children,  though  they  pet 
them  one  moment  and  beat  them  the  next.  They  seem  to 
prefer  birds  to  animals.  Where  we  would  bring  a dog  for  a 
walk,  they  carry  in  a cage  a singing  bird,  generally  the  yellow- 
eyebrowed thrush.  They  do  not  indulge  in  cock-fighting,  as 
did  our  ancestors,  but  they  train  quails,  thrushes,  and  even 
fish  to  fight.  Two  bottles,  in  either  of  which  is  a fish,  are 
placed  alongside ; when  the  fish  grow  angry  with  each  other 
they  are  put  into  the  same  bottle,  where  they  fight  it  out. 

Crickets,  too,  have  an  important  place  in  the  Chinese 
sporting  world.  Two  at  a time  are  put  on  a flat  tray  with 
a deep  rim,  and  are  tickled  on  their  heads  with  a hair  until 
they  get  into  a rage  and  charge  each  other.  When  the  victor 
of  many  fights  dies,  he  is  sometimes  honoured  with  a silver 
coffin.  Even  those  who  do  not  train  crickets  for  the  arena 
keep  them  in  tiny  bamboo  cages  and  earthenware  jars  because 
they  are  fond  of  their  chirping. 

The  Chinese  are  cruel  to  animals,  but  they  know  how  to 
make  them  do  what  they  want.  If,  for  instance,  they  are 
disturbed  by  a donkey  braying  at  night,  they  tie  a big  stone 
to  his  tail,  and  this  humiliates  him  into  silence. 

A Chinaman  always  appears  to  be  looking  round  the  corners 
of  his  eyes  at  you,  and  to  have  a meaning  that  you  cannot  get 
at.  He  gives  you  the  impression  that  somebody  when  he  was 
born  sat  on  his  nose,  and  that  he  has  been  lamenting  the 
calamity  ever  since.  And  yet,  though  he  never  lays  aside 
this  expression  of  resigned  wretchedness,  the  average  Chinese 
is  not  at  all  more  miserable  than  the  average  Britisher. 


CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS  97 

“ The  highest  calling  and  election,”  says  George  Eliot,  “ is 
to  do  without  opium  and  to  bear  pain  with  clear-eyed  endu- 
rance.” The  Chinese  do  not  do  without  opium,  but  they 
have  made  their  calling  and  election  sure  in  reference  to 
enduring  pain.  They  can  wait  without  complaint  and  bear 
with  calm  fortitude.  They  combine  the  active  industry  of  the 
most  civilised  people  with  the  passive  patience  of  the  North 
American  Indian. 

A Chinese  sleeps  when  he  has  nothing  better  to  do,  like  a 
dog.  He  can  “go  to  sleep  across  three  wheelbarrows,  with 
his  head  downward  like  a spider,  his  mouth  wide  open  and  a 
fly  inside.”  Indeed,  a Chinaman  seems  to  like  noise  for  its 
own  sake. 

A Chinese  thinks  money,  and  is  as  uncomfortable  as  an 
American  until  he  ascertains  the  price  of  everything  he  sees. 
Most  Chinese  are  so  poor  that  they  can  only  seek  for  food ; 
the  rest  are  as  hard  and  materialistic  about  money.  After  the 
day’s  business  the  shopkeeper  counts  his  cash  with  great  care, 
and  the  click  of  his  little  calculating  machine  brings  music  to 
what  he  is  pleased  to  call  his  soul.  That  integrity  is  a 
characteristic  of  the  Chinese  merchant  when  he  has  not  been 
spoiled  by  foreign  examples  is  shown  by  the  fact  that,  even  in 
the  largest  transactions,  written  contracts  are  seldom  required. 
His  word  is  his  bond.  However,  I was  once  a little  disap- 
pointed in  this  respect.  I asked  a seller  at  a street  stall  how 
much  a dried  fruit  was.  He  answered,  “Five  cents.”  My 
companion,  who  knew  Chinese  well,  pointed  to  a label  indi- 
cating that  the  price  was  only  one  cent.  The  crowd  laughed, 
and  the  stall-keeper  “ lost  face.”  “ No  two  prices”  may  be 
put  up  in  the  shops,  but  every  Chinese  shopman  will  come 
down  to  a persevering  bargainer. 

Before  the  Chinese  were  prohibited  from  emigrating  to  the 
Philippine  Islands,  the  fare  from  Amoy  to  Manila  was  for 
them  75  dollars  first  class,  15  dollars  second.  Those  in  the 
latter  class  had  to  take  a bath  before  landing,  so,  in  order  to 

7 


98  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


escape  this  terror,  many  used  to  travel  first-class  who  would 
otherwise  have  gone  second.  A whole  family  of  Chinese  will 
make  their  ablutions  one  after  another  in  about  a pint  of 
unchanged  water  in  the  same  basin.  In  their  heads  nearly 
all  Chinese  “grow  vermin.” 

Still,  the  Chinese  are  not  dirty  in  all  respects.  Even 
coolies  generally  wash  their  feet  when  work  is  over,  and  swab 
with  a wrung-out  cloth  as  much  of  their  bodies  as  can  be  got  at 
without  taking  off  their  trousers.  They  clean  their  teeth 
much  more  regularly  than  do  British  peasantry.  And  what- 
ever their  practice  is,  they  have  at  least  a theoretical  belief  in 
cleanliness,  if  we  may  judge  from  an  inscription  which  a 
Chinese  placed  over  pieces  of  soap  in  his  shop — “ Cheaper 
than  dirt.”  Talking  of  inscriptions,  we  may  mention  that 
where  we  put  up  “ Commit  no  nuisance,”  the  Chinese 
equivalent  is  “ Respect  yourself.” 

Their  proverbial  philosophy  shows  that  the  Chinese  are 
very  thoughtful.  Here  are  a few  specimens  : “ The  best  and 
strongest  man  in  the  world  finds  that  he  cannot  escape  the 
two  words  ‘ No  continuance  ’ ” ; “ Happiness  consists  in  a 
medium  station  ” ; “ When  you  are  sitting  quietly,  and  alone, 
think  of  your  own  faults ; when  conversing  with  others,  do 
not  talk  of  the  faults  of  others  ” ; “ Correct  yourself  on  the 
same  principle  that  you  correct  others,  and  excuse  others  on 
the  same  principle  that  you  excuse  yourself”;  “He  who 
requires  much  from  himself  and  little  from  others  will  keep 
himself  from  being  the  object  of  resentment  ” ; “ He  who 
pursues  a stag  regards  not  hares”;  “A  gem  cannot  be 
polished  without  friction,  or  a man  perfected  without 
adversity  ” ; “ The  gods  cannot  help  a man  who  loses 
opportunities.” 

The  Chinese  call  a harmless  blusterer  “ a paper  tiger,”  and 
compare  a man  over-estimating  himself  to  a rat  falling  into  a 
scale  and  weighing  itself.  Overdoing  a thing  is  a hunchback 
making  a bow. 


To  face  page  ifi). 


CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS  99 

You  havo  only  to  watch  their  story-  and  fortune-tellers  in  the 
streets  to  seo  that  the  Chinese  are  natural  orators;  you  can  see 
that  by  their  gestures,  even  if  you  do  not  understand  what  they 
say.  Thoy  use  very  apt  illustrations. 

I never  saw  conjuring  so  clever  anywhere  as  in  China. 
Some  of  the  tricks,  however,  were  not  pleasant  to  look  at, 
as,  for  instance,  when  a man  put  a long,  living  whip-snake 
into  his  mouth  and  brought  it  out  from  his  nose,  or  when  ho 
pretended  to  cut  off  a boy’s  head. 

A Chinese  is  nearly  always  a person  of  resource.  A young 
man  was  accused  of  knocking  out  his  father’s  teeth,  and  was 
in  danger  of  being  put  to  death.  He  was  visited  by  a friend 
who  had  taken  a high  degree.  The  friend  looked  grave,  and 
whispered  into  tho  prisoner’s  ear,  “ It’s  a bad  case.” 
Suddenly  seizing  the  ear  between  his  teeth,  he  gave  it  a 
severe  bite.  “ What  do  you  mean  ? ” asked  the  young  man, 
raising  his  fist.  “I  mean,”  was  the  answer,  “that  you  are 
saved ; you  have  only  to  show  the  marks  of  my  teeth  and  say 
that  they  were  made  by  your  father,  whose  teeth,  being  shaky, 
dropped  out.” 

Two  small  things  especially  impress  foreigners  with  the  skill 
and  ingenuity  of  the  Chinese.  Ono  is  the  way  ivory  balls  are 
made  and  carved,  one  within  the  other,  to  the  number  of 
seven  or  eight ; and  the  other,  the  inscription  of  minute 
characters  inside  agate  or  crystal  snuff-bottles. 

The  compass,  printing,  gunpowder,  water-tight  compart- 
ments in  junks,  bills  of  exchange,  and  bank-notes  were 
invented  by  the  Chinese.  They  had  the  compass  2634  b.c., 
and  the  oldest  newspaper  in  the  world — The  Peking  Gazette. 
They  made  the  longest  canal  and  wall  ever  made ; they  built 
monumental  bridges.  If  they  see  a machine  gun  or  anything 
else  for  a few  moments,  they  can  turn  one  out  just  like  it. 

The  political  economy  taught  by  Kouan-tse  before  the 
Christian  era  differs  in  no  way  from  the  teaching  of  our  own 
Adam  Smith  and  J.  S.  Mill.  The  ancient  Chinese  economist 


100  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


draws  the  same  line  between  productive  and  unproductive 
labour,  and  shows  that  in  proportion  as  the  rich  buy  luxuries  ; 
the  poor  are  deprived  of  necessaries. 

The  Chinese  studied  astronomy  twenty-two  centuries  ago, 
and  a hook  of  theirs,  written  b.c.  221,  is  looked  upon  as  the 
first  treatise  on  trigonometry. 

Chinese  have  a strong  sense  of  humour,  but  the  stories 
which  they  most  appreciate  generally  refer  to  buying  and 
selling.  Here  is  one  which  was  told  by  a friend  of  mine,  who 
heard  one  of  them,  almost  convulsed  with  laughter,  telling  it 
to  another : A clever  woman  was  afflicted  with  a stupid 

husband  whom  she  could  not  trust  to  do  the  family  shopping. 
Once,  however,  when  ill,  she  had  to  send  him  to  buy  some- 
thing that  was  badly  needed.  “ They  will  ask  too  much  for 
it,”  she  said,  “so  be  sure  and  only  give  half  the  price  men- 
tioned.” A dollar  was  demanded  for  the  article.  “ I will 
give  you  fifty  cents,”  suggested  noodle.  “ Oh,  that  is  too 
little,  but  we  will  let  you  have  it  for  eighty.”  Mindful  of  the 
injunction  to  give  only  half  of  what  was  asked,  the  obedient 
one  said,  “ Very  well,  I will  give  you  forty  cents  ” ! 

The  Chinese  are  so  clever  and  sensible  that  the  apparent 
irrationality  of  many  of  their  thoughts  and  deeds  is  un- 
accountable. They  have  discovered  and  know  so  much  that 
we  are  surprised  they  do  not  know  more.  Why  is  it,  we 
wonder,  that  people  with  such  an  ancient  civilisation  should 
persist  in  thinking  that  the  earth  is  square,  and  that  the 
cause  of  eclipses  is  a huge  dog  seeking  to  swallow  up  the  sun 
or  moon  ? The  cause  of  this,  no  doubt,  is  their  incorrigible 
conservatism.  Being  shut  in  by  sea,  desert,  and  mountains 
led  China  to  think  of  those  without  as  “ barbarians.”  Her 
exclusiveness  kept  her  ignorant,  her  ignorance  kept  her  self- 
satisfied,  her  self-satisfaction  kept  her  conservative. 

An  unfavourable  opinion  of  the  intellectual  powers  of  the 
race  is  produced  by  a habit  the  Chinese  have  of  keeping  their 
best  arguments  last  and  advancing  puerile  ones  first.  The 


CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS  101 

following  answer  of  a boatman,  when  asked  why  an  eye  is 
painted  on  both  sides  of  junks  at  Shanghai,  is  often  quoted  : 
“No  got  eye,  how  can  see?  No  can  see,  how  can  sabee 
(know).  No  can  sabee,  how  can  makee  walkee  (travel)?” 
No  doubt  the  real  explanation  is  the  superstition  of  the  good 
and  evil  eye  which  is  found  amongst  all  nations. 

A man  agreed  to  pay  a dollar  a day  at  a Chinese  inn,  but 
no  money  was  forthcoming.  At  length  the  host  reduced  the 
price  of  his  guest’s  board  to  half  a dollar  a day,  in  order  that, 
as  he  explained,  he  should  not  lose  so  much  by  him.  A 
Chinaman  is  never  such  a fool  as  he  sometimes  looks,  and  if 
this  reduction  was  ever  made  it  was  because  the  host  thought 
that  he  might  get  half  a dollar  but  could  not  get  a dollar. 

The  Chinese  are  great  at  organising.  “ Union  of  hearts,” 
says  one  of  their  proverbs,  “ is  the  best  bulwark.”  The  trade 
guilds,  which  are  in  every  town,  work  together  as  one  man 
when  their  interests  are  assailed.  A guild  looks  after  people 
of  its  own  district,  aids  them  if  sick  or  impoverished,  and, 
when  necessary,  provides  that  which  a Chinaman  values  most 
— a respectable  funeral.  The  social  side  of  the  guilds  is  seen 
in  the  frequent  feasts  and  theatrical  entertainments  which  the 
members  provide.  The  guild  club-houses  are  in  many  in- 
stances very  beautiful. 

There  are  life  and  many  other  kinds  of  insurance  associa- 
tions ; convivial,  chess,  literary,  and  burial  clubs.  Tem- 
perance societies  are  a very  old  institution  in  China,  the 
members  of  the  present  ones  promising  to  abstain  from  rice 
spirits,  or  from  opium,  or  from  tobacco,  or  from  all  three. 

Even  beggars  and  thieves  have  guilds.  In  Canton  and 
other  large  towns,  the  former  are  ruled  by  a king,  and  he  is 
paid  so  much  a year  by  shopkeepers  on  condition  that  he 
prevent  his  subjects  from  tormenting  customers.  Should 
blackmail  not  be  given,  the  guild  will  send  beggars  to  play 
hideous  music  and  to  clamour  loudly  at  the  defaulter’s  shop. 
If  cash  is  still  withheld,  they  will  drive  away  customers  by 


102  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


inflicting  wounds  on  themselves  or  by  threatening  to  expose 
their  nakedness.  Every  morning  the  king  of  the  beggars 
sends  a certain  number  of  his  sackcloth-clad  or  nearly  unclad 
subjects  to  beg  a particular  district.  They  also  claim  a share 
of  what  is  left  at  wedding  and  funeral  feasts.  In  these  ways 
poor  rates  are  collected  by  the  beggars  themselves. 

Owners  of  property  pay  so  much  a year  to  guilds  of  thieves 
in  order  not  to  be  robbed.  On  the  gates  of  farmsteads  may 
be  read,  “ This  household  pays  yearly  tribute  to  the  robbers, 
and  must  not  be  molested.”  A common  practice  is  to  hire  a 
member  of  the  guild  as  a watchman.  In  a city  where  there  is 
a thief’s  guild,  if  an  outsider  attempt  amateur  larceny  or  a 
professional  from  a distance  fail  to  report  himself  they  get 
into  trouble  “ with  the  honourable  members  of  the  guild  of 
thieves.” 

The  Chinese  never  waste  anything.  A shopman  puts  up 
parcels  with  half  the  paper  and  string  used  by  Europeans. 
Servants  collect  and  sell  matchboxes  and  things  for  which  no 
one  else  could  find  a use.  In  the  country  you  will  notice  a 
boy  up  in  a tree  beating  down  a single  leaf  with  a stick  for 
fuel  as  though  it  were  a valuable  fruit.  Women,  when  too 
old  to  work  at  anything  else,  collect  dry  grass  for  the  same 
purpose.  A very  old  woman,  who  was  seen  hobbling  along  a 
road,  was  asked  why  she  persisted  in  walking  when  so  little 
capable  of  doing  so.  She  replied  that  she  was  at  the  point  of 
death,  and  that  if  she  managed  to  get  near  her  home,  where 
she  would  be  buried,  her  friends  would  have  to  pay  coolies  less 
for  carrying  her ! A man  collects  his  fowls  and  then  beats 
old  damp  mats  or  matting.  Cockroaches  and  other  vermin 
jump  out,  and  the  cocks  and  hens  have  a meal  that  costs 
nothing. 

You  give  a coolie  an  old  coat  that  you  are  ashamed  to 
give  to  any  one  and  he  will  probably  get  a tailor  to  transform 
it  for  thirty  or  fifty  cents  into  two  pairs  of  excellent  trousers 
for  himself. 


CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS  103 


In  one  respect,  however,  the  Chinese  are  not  economical, 
but  very  much  tho  reverso ; we  allude  to  their  gambling 
propensities.  To  satisfy  this  taste  curious  forms  of  lotteries 
have  been  invented,  one  of  the  commonest  being  that  of 
the  thirty-six  beasts.  A group  of  individuals  form  themselves 
into  a company  and  select  the  names  of  thirty-six  animals 
which  they  inscribe  on  counters.  Every  morning  the  bankers 
hoist  up  to  the  top  of  a high  pole  a bag,  into  which  one 
out  of  the  thirty-six  counters  has  been  placed,  the  six  last 
counters  being  exclusively  reserved  for  tho  bank.  The  public 
stake  their  money  on  any  one  of  the  thirty-six  beasts,  and 
those  who  have  backed  the  beast  whose  name  is  written 
on  the  counter  in  that  bag  that  day  win  thirty  times  what 
they  have  staked.  Butchers  often  put  out  a piece  of  meat 
as  a prize  to  be  given  at  nightfall  to  the  man  who  has  made 
the  nearest  guess  at  its  weight.  A few  cash  are  paid  to  the 
butcher  for  the  privilege  of  competing. 

The  waising  lottery  is  in  connection  with  the  names  of 
successful  candidates  at  the  examinations  for  degrees. 

Every  one  who  has  visited  Macao  or  any  part  of  China 
knows  about  Fan’tan,  or  “ turn-over.”  There  is  no  skill 
in  it.  The  croupier  throws  dowm  a heap  of  cash,  and 
each  gambler  stakes  on  what  the  remainder  will  be  when 
the  pile  has  been  counted  out  in  fours. 

The  gambling  excesses  which  Hue  describes  seem  incredible. 
He  says  that  people  will  part  with  all  their  clothes  and  run 
about  at  night  to  keep  themselves  warm,  that  last  of  all 
they  will  stake  their  fingers,  chop  them  off  and  give  them 
to  their  victors  ! 

Privacy  in  China  is  little  respected.  A friend  of  mine  had 
an  interview  with  an  official  of  high  rank.  He  did  not  wish 
the  business  known,  so  was  greatly  disgusted  when  he  saw 
the  yamen  servants  and  even  people  from  the  street  crowding 
in  unchecked  by  any  one  to  hear  the  conversation.  The 
liberty  that  is  given  to  go  in  and  out  of  yamens  is  an 


104  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


example  of  the  blending  of  classes  that  prevails  in  China. 
People  will  talk  loudly  about  what  we  would  consider  private 
affairs.  If  a man,  and  especially  a woman,  have  a grievance, 
he  or  she  will  proclaim  it  from  the  housetop.  It  is  thought 
that  one  who  wishes  to  be  private  must  be  going  to  say  or  do 
something  wrong. 

The  possibility  of  acquiring  merit  in  another  world  is  the 
motive,  as  it  often  is  amongst  Westerners,  for  much  of  what 
looks  like  charity  in  China.  The  idea  of  keeping  a debtor- 
and-credit  account  with  Heaven  is  one  which  finds  favour 
with  the  business  Chinese  mind.  Well  for  him  when  he 
makes  up  his  spiritual  accounts  at  the  end  of  the  year 
if  he  can  carry  over  a balance  of  good  deeds  towards  the 
next  year’s  reckoning ! It  is  not  charitable,  however,  in 
us  to  say  that  the  Chinese  are  charitable  only  for  a spiritual 
insurance,  only  to  gain  merit  in  another  world.  They  are 
not  less  charitable  than  ourselves.  They  distribute  free  rice 
and  tea  in  time  of  exceptional  distress ; they  subscribe  to 
hospitals  and  to  asylums  for  the  blind,  for  the  old,  for 
lepers,  and  for  orphans ; they  support  associations  for 
supplying  free  coffins  to  the  poor.  The  fine  stone  or 
wooden  bridges  like  what  we  see  on  willow-pattern  plates 
have  in  many  instances  been  built  by  private  individuals. 
So  have  a large  number  of  rest-houses,  pagodas,  temples, 
mosques,  and  shrines. 

The  character  of  the  Chinaman,  however,  is  many  sided, 
and  he  can  show  a very  unsympathetic  side.  There  is  to 
him,  as  it  has  been  said  there  is  to  all  of  us,  something 
not  altogether  unpleasing  in  the  misfortunes  of  friends. 
From  a steam  launch  I saw  a sudden  squall  sink  a junk. 
There  were  other  junks  quite  near,  but  no  one  would  give 
a helping  hand  to  the  men  struggling  in  the  water.  Our 
launch  had  to  go  a considerable  distanco  to  the  rescue.  The 
Chinese  would  say  that  it  was  not  their  business  to  pull 
up  the  drowning  men,  that  perhaps  the  men  wanted  to 


CHINESE  CHARACTERISTICS  105 

die,  that  if  they  rescued  them  they  would  have  to  support 
them,  that  it  might  be  a wicked  interference  with  Fate.  A 
Chinese  submarine  miner  in  British  service  was  drowned 
near  Hong  Kong.  Several  times  after,  when  passing  the 
spot  where  the  man  fell  overboard,  his  mates  pointed  to  it 
and  roared  with  laughter. 

The  Chinaman’s  sense  of  humour  is  never  so  much  tickled 
as  when  he  sees  any  one  in  a difficulty.  A workman  falls 
from  a bamboo  scaffold  and  breaks  his  leg.  All  his  mates 
upon  the  job  will  stop  work  to  have  a good  laugh. 

The  colliding  of  two  rickshas  is  a standing  or  rather 
a running  joke ; and  a man  being  led  to  gaol  by  his  queue 
becomes  a target  for  all  the  would-be  wits  along  the  route.  An 
old  lady,  known  to  the  writer,  slipping  in  a street  of  Hong 
Kong,  injured  her  leg  so  much  that  she  could  not  get  up. 
Soon  there  was  a crowd  round  her,  “ their  hands  in  their 
sleeves  and  idly  gazing  ” — very  idly,  for  no  one  offered 
assistance.  They  seemed  to  enjoy  the  accident  as  much 
as  we  would  a good  number  of  Punch. 

Like  the  Jews  who  asked,  “ Did  this  man  sin  or  his 
parents,  that  he  was  bom  blind  ? ” the  Chinese  look  upon 
all  grievous  affliction  as  the  just  punishment  for  some  heinous 
offence  committed  in  a previous  state  of  existence.  Perhaps 
it  is  owing  to  this  “ serve  you  right  ” theory  that  they  have 
so  little  sympathy  with  suffering. 

People  calmly  remark  of  a man  in  his  presence  that  he  is 
idiotic.  “ When  the  eyes  squint  the  heart  is  askew7  ” is  often 
said  to  a cross-eyed  person.  We  read  of  the  mother  of  the 
prophet  Samuel  that  when  it  was  thought  she  would  not 
have  a child  “ her  adversary  also  provoked  her  sore,  for 
to  make  her  fret.”  Every  Chinese  wife  who  has  not  borne 
a son  knowTs  what  this  means. 

After  cold  water  there  is  nothing  the  Chinese  so  much 
fear  as  ridicule  and  disgrace  or  the  “ loss  of  face.”  A district 
magistrate  w7ho  was  to  be  beheaded  asked  that  as  a special 


106  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

favour  he  might  wear  his  robes  of  office  in  order  to  save  his 
face ! 

The  Chinese  dread  any  change  that  may  cause  trouble  or 
disorder.  “ Better  be  a dog  in  peace,”  they  say,  “ than  a 
man  in  anarchy.”  They  are  as  a people  submissive  and 
easily  governed.  The  prospectus  of  a German  lottery  was 
sent  to  a Chinaman  in  Hong  Kong.  Not  understanding  it, 
he  consulted  an  Englishman,  a friend  of  the  writer.  It  was 
explained  to  him  that  he  need  not  take  a ticket  or  indeed 
any  notice  of  it.  Meeting  my  friend  a few  days  afterwards, 
the  Chinaman  said,  “ I thought  it  best  to  take  one  of  those 
lottery  tickets ; I did  not  want  to  have  any  bobbery  with  that 
German  Emperor.” 

Far  more  than  we  do,  the  Chinese  believe  in  the  might 
of  right  and  in  the  prowess  of  intellect.  They  have  conquered 
and  will  continue  to  conquer  by  the  arts  of  peace,  rather  than 
by  those  of  war.  When  vanquished  by  the  Tartars  in  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  they  overcame  their 
conquerors  by  force  of  mind  and  character.  They  turned 
them  into  the  black-haired  race.  The  “yellow  peril”  is, 
not  that  China  should  conquer  by  weapons  of  war,  but  by 
industry,  patience,  and  numbers. 

Englishmen  and  Chinamen  should  be  good  friends,  for  they 
have  much  in  common.  Both  have  a great  capacity  for 
making,  saving,  and  enjoying  money.  Both  are  enterprising 
in  commerce,  and  both  will  stick  to  their  bargains.  Both 
build  substantial  buildings,  as,  for  instance,  bridges,  and 
both  take  a pride  in  good  work. 

The  Chinese  are  not  less  characterised  by  common  sense 
than  are  Englishmen,  and  they  have  John  Bull’s  solidity, 
respect  for  law  and  conservatism.  Neither  John  Bull  nor 
John  Chinaman  allow  sentiment  to  interfere  with  business, 
and  there  is  nothing  they  value  more  than  a good  dinner. 


CHAPTER  X 


CHINESE  FOOD 


What  a Chinaman  does  not  eat  is  not  worth  eating — “ That  belong  cocky- 
loachee  ” — “ With  soy  sauce  anything  will  go  down  ” — Flowers  eaten 
a9  vegetables — Woman’s  milk  sold  for  aged  persons — Eggs  one 
hundred  years  old — Eating  one’s  walking-stick — Kippered  rats — Even 
house  rats  are  eaten— Cat  and  snake  restaurants — An  overrated  dish — 
A coolie  can  revel  on  twopence  a day— Method  of  eating — Filial  gruel — 
Invitations — Chinese  hospitality — The  attack  begun  again — Two  good 
soups — Curious  dishes— Gratitude  for  repletion. 

WIAT  a Chinaman  does  not  eat  is  indeed  not  worth 
eating.  Everything  from  root  to  leaf,  from  hide 
to  entrails,  goes  into  his  unscrupulous  stomach.  Hawks, 
owls,  and  other  omniverous  creatures  find  their  match  in 
him,  and  are  eaten  by  him.  The  attendants  of  a sportsman 
gladly  eat  the  badger,  civet  cat,  or  fox  which  he  kills.  Even 
game  which  they  catch  upon  their  own  bodies  coolies  crack 
with  their  teeth  and  probably  swallow. 

The  bills,  feet,  and  insides  of  poultry  are  sold  separately 
in  the  market.  Who  can  tell  what  are  in  Chinese  dumplings, 
patties,  and  sausages?  The  coloured  drinks  on  street  stalls 
look  unintelligible  even  though  samples  of  the  fruit  from 
which  they  purport  to  be  decocted  are  beside  them.  A 
receptacle  contains  egg  soup.  We  know  this  because  un- 
broken eggs  are  placed  near  it  to  show  that  they  are  in  it ! 
A thirst  for  knowledge  made  me  try  everything.  “ Never 
venture,  never  win  ” was  my  motto.  What  looked  like 
“ broth  of  abominable  things  ” was  in  their  vessels,  but  I 

107 


108  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


was  occasionally  agreeably  surprised  when,  greatly  daring, 
I tasted  it. 

A caldron  worthy  of  the  witches  in  “ Macbeth  ” could 
be  filled  by  a few  Chinese  hucksters.  One  could  contribute 
eye  of  newt,  and  toe  of  frog,  another  several  kinds  of  lizards, 
a third  black-beetles  and  grasshoppers.  In  a barrel  are 
what  look  like  dried  prunes.  “ What  are  those  ? ” you  ask 
a grinning  Chinaman.  Popping  one  into  his  mouth,  he 
answers,  “ That  belong  cocky-loachee.  Velly  good.” 
They  are  dried  cockroaches  ! 

A coolie  picks  up  from  a street  stall  with  a wire  fork 
provided  for  the  purpose  and  eats  a piece  of  candied  ginger, 
of  lotus-root,  of  melon,  and  of  everything  in  the  collection. 
For  each  tit-bit  he  pays  a cash  or  about  the  fortieth  part  of 
a penny.  Imagine  a British  workman  doing  anything  so 
innocent  as  eat  sweets  at  a street  stall ! 

There  is  no  drinking  for  company’s  sake  in  China.  On 
occasions  when  our  men  treat  each  other  to  a so-called 
friendly  glass  of  spirits  or  beer  the  Chinese  eat  together 
the  sociable  seed  of  a melon.  So  fond  is  every  one  of  dried 
melon  seeds  that  you  may  have  in  some  places  a melon  for 
nothing  if  you  give  back  the  seeds.  Samshu,  the  alcoholic 
spirit  generally  drunk,  is  distilled  from  rice,  but  people  only 
take  it  in  small  quantities  and  then  almost  invariably  with  food. 
Water  is  always  drunk  hot,  which  guards  against  disease. 

A Chinese  proverb  says  that  it  is  well  always  to  have 
something  in  the  mouth,  so  when  any  one  has  nothing  better 
to  eat  he  chews  sugar-cane  or  munches  pea-nuts.  Confucius 
ate  little,  but  was  never  without  ginger  when  he  ate.  His 
disciples  are  more  inclined  to  follow  the  second  part  of  this 
rule  than  the  first.  The  Chinese  are  nearly  as  fond  of 
pickles  as  are  British  soldiers — pickled  nuts,  pickled  cabbage, 
pickled  onions,  and  they  like  fruits  when  both  salted  and 
sugared.  With  soy  sauce  anything  will  go  down.  Earth- 
worms when  fried  crisp  are  relished,  and  so  are  silkworms 


CHINESE  FOOD 


109 


when  they  have  done  their  work  and  nothing  more  can  be 
got  out  of  them.  Locusts  are  thought  to  have  a better 
flavour  and  to  be  more  nutritious  if  they  are  thrown  into 
boiling  oil  when  alive. 

Foreigners  used  to  classify  the  beef  obtainable  in  Peking 
as  “ horse,”  “ camel,”  “ donkey,”  or  “ precipice.”  The  last 
was  that  of  a beast  that  had  been  killed  by  a fall.  In  South 
China  the  flesh  of  an  ox  or  of  a buffalo  is  not  eaten  because 
these  animals  are  so  useful  for  agriculture,  and  because,  on 
transmigration  principles,  ancestors  might  be  inhabiting 
them.  If,  however,  a thrifty  person  wishes  to  use  a dead 
buffalo  he  calls  it  “mountain  whale,”  and  eats  it  with  a 
clear  conscience.  In  a book  of  moral  maxims  an  exhortation 
against  eating  beef  is  enforced  by  examples  of  people  who 
have  suffered  for  doing  so.  Nothing  is  too  bad  for  butchers. 
One  of  these,  it  is  told,  bought  on  a certain  day  three 
buffaloes,  one  of  which  ho  killed.  At  night  the  two 
survivors  came  to  him  in  a dream  and  one  said,  “ I am  your 
father,”  and  the  other,  “I  am  your  grandfather.”  Upon 
this  they  were  transmigrated  into  men,  and  the  butcher 
saw  that  they  really  were  his  father  and  his  grandfather. 

To  eat  venison  is  to  incur  the  danger  of  becoming  as  timid 
as  deer.  Pork,  which  is  eaten  everywhere  in  China,  is  often 
dishonestly  treated.  Its  weight  is  added  to  by  being  injected 
with  water,  the  point  of  the  syringe  being  passed  into  a large 
vein.  In  this  way  the  Chinese  wrater  their  stock  when  dead  ! 
It  is  amusing  to  see  a pig  lying  down  trustingly  for  the 
mistress  of  a cabin  to  pick  ticks  off  him. 

The  Chinese  list  of  vegetables  about  quadruples  ours. 
Alas ! we  Europeans  dare  not  eat  their  crisp  lettuce  and 
rosy  radishes,  for  we  know  with  what  they  are  fertilised. 
They  ruin  their  fruit,  too,  for  our  palates,  by  pulling  it 
long  before  it  is  ripe.  The  petals  of  chrysanthemums  and 
of  other  flowers  which  we  wrould  think  a desecration  to  eat 
they  use  as  vegetables. 


110  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


When  they  do  not  think  that  it  is  made  by  missionaries 
from  the  brains  of  stolen  children,  the  Chinese  are  very  fond 
of  our  condensed  milk.  They  drink  cups  of  it,  adding  much 
sugar ! Milk  from  cow  or  buffalo  is  seldom  used  by  them  as 
food,  but  human  milk  is  sold  at  Amoy  for  aged  persons  on 
account  of  the  great  nutritive  qualities  which  are  attributed  to 
it.  An  act  applauded  in  popular  story  is  that  of  a daughter- 
in-law  who  deprived  her  baby  of  its  rights  that  she  might 
sustain  her  husband’s  toothless  old  mother. 

Rice  is  the  staff  of  Chinese  life,  though  it  is  not  eaten  by 
itself,  but  with  pork,  fish,  cabbage,  and  other  relishes.  Rice- 
flour  is  made  into  many  appetising  combinations.  Bean  meal 
and  bean  curds  are  much  used.  So  are  all  kinds  of  macaroni, 
of  shellfish,  and  of  seaweed. 

Eggs  are  preserved  for  an  indefinite  time  in  a solution  of 
salt,  lime,  and  wood-ashes.  At  the  end  of  forty  days  they  are 
considered  fit  for  the  table,  but  at  the  end  of  forty  years  still 
more  so.  A Chinese  host  treats  his  most  honoured  guest  to 
the  oldest  eggs  in  his  storeroom  as  a British  host  brings 
from  his  cellar  the  oldest  wine. 

At  the  table  of  the  Governor  of  Hong  Kong  I have  tasted 
eggs  which,  his  Excellency  told  me,  were  more  than  a hundred 
years  old,  and  which  he  got  as  a great  favour.  They  were  as 
black  as  ink,  owing  either  to  time  or  to  the  wood-ashes  in 
which  they  were  kept.  Eggs  preserved  in  spirits  made  of  rice 
arc  very  good. 

Bamboo  sprouts  resemble  asparagus,  but  as  in  common  with 
other  vegetables  in  China  they  are  only  half  cooked,  it  is  a 
little  like  eating  one’s  walking-stick.  As  malefactors  are 
beaten  with  bamboo  canes,  coolies  object  to  be  told  that  they 
will  eat  bamboo. 

“ Hawking  duck’s  blood  without  licence,”  was  the  curious 
charge  that  was  brought  against  a woman  not  long  before  I 
left  Hong  Kong.  One  is  surprised  at  the  number  of  dried  and 
flattened  ducks  that  hang  outside  the  provision  shops  at  Canton 


CHINESE  FOOD  111 

by  their  half-yard  long  necks.  That  the  things  exposed  for  sale 
looking  like  bits  of  leather  were  rats  we  could  not  doubt  after 
examining  their  heads  and  the  tails  that  curled  like  the  tendrils 
of  a vine.  Peoplo  whose  queues  are  scanty  use  this  food  as  a 
hair-restorer.  Rat-meat  is  also  thought  to  cure  deafness. 

The  last  time  I was  at  Canton  I saw  only  one  bundle  of 
kippered  rats  hanging  outside  a shop  that  used  to  deal  largely 
in  them.  I remarked  to  my  companion  that  the  supply  of 
rats  fell  off  apparently  at  that  season.  Hearing  this,  the 
shopkeeper,  who  knew  some  English,  in  his  kind  desire  that  I 
should  not  be  disappointed,  went  to  the  back  of  the  shop, 
produced  two  dried  cats,  and  throwing  them  upon  the  counter 
before  mo,  said,  “ They  are  eating  those  now.” 

The  Chinese  say  that  it  is  only  field-rats  that  arc  eaten.  If 
this  be  the  rulo,  it  has  exceptions,  as  the  two  following  stories, 
which  I have  upon  good  authority,  show.  During  the  plague 
season  in  Hong  Kong  all  rats  that  arc  killed  aro  dissected  by 
the  sanitary  authorities,  to  see  if  there  are  plague  germs  in 
them.  A householder  asked  his  number  one  boy  where  a rat 
that  had  been  caught  was,  as  he  wished  to  send  it  to  be 
examined.  “ One  of  your  chair  coolies  ate  it  for  his  breakfast,” 
was  the  reply. 

An  English  lady  who  was  staying  with  a Chinese  one 
praised  a dish  at  dinner.  “ I am  glad  you  like  it,”  replied 
the  Chinese  ; “I  caught  that  rat  in  your  room  this  morning.” 
This,  however,  was  in  the  country  where  food  could  not  be 
easily  procured. 

I have  visited  the  cat  and  dog  market  in  Canton,  and  seen 
hundreds  of  these  animals  in  cages  alive,  hung  up  for  sale 
when  dead,  and  being  cooked  in  different  ways.  Fortunately 
I escaped  seeing  a cat  killed,  as  the  man  who  brought  me  to 
the  market  once  did.  The  front  paws  of  pussy  were  chopped 
off,  her  teeth  knocked  in,  and  when  thus  rendered  defenceless 
she  was  skinned  alive.  There  are  in  the  same  place  in 
Canton  shops  where  boxes  and  baskets  full  of  snakes  are 


112  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

kept.  Some  of  the  reptiles  are  bought  for  food,  but  more  of 
them  for  medicine. 

Outside  the  racecourse  at  Hong  Kong  when  there  is  a race 
meeting  many  refreshment-stalls  are  set  up  for  the  thousands 
of  Chinese  that  assemble.  Last  year  I counted  sixteen  upon 
which  dog-meat  was  sold.  It  was  fried  in  oil  with  water, 
chestnuts,  onions,  and  chillies.  Dog-meat  is  supplied  chiefly 
for  visitors  from  Canton,  for  many  Cantonese  do  not  think 
that  they  have  had  an  outing  if  they  do  not  get  it.  On  two 
occasions  I tried  the  dish,  and  thought  that  it  was  an  overrated 
one.  It  tasted  between  rabbit  and  tough  mutton. 

When  dogs  are  skinned  and  quartered  the  yellow  variety  is 
distinguished  from  the  black  in  the  market  by  the  bushy  tips 
of  their  tails  that  are  left.  These  guide  customers  to  which 
they  prefer,  and  opinions  differ  as  to  their  relative  wholesome- 
ness. Dogs  are  fed  on  rice  for  some  time  before  they  are 
killed.  I do  not  wish  to  convey  the  impression  that  cat,  dog, 
and  rat  are  the  staple  food  of  the  Chinese.  It  is  chiefly  the 
Cantonese  who  eat  them,  and  they  do  so  as  little,  but  also  as 
much,  as  the  French  eat  frogs  and  snails  and  the  British  high 
game  and  “ walking  cheese.”  The  Chinese  think  that  cheese 
and  butter,  which  they  call  “milk  cake,”  or  “rotten  milk,” 
or  “ beef-oil  cakes,”  are  disgusting. 

Written  on  a wall  in  a kitchen  at  Nanking  were  characters 
which  were  translated  for  me  as  follows  : “ One  bowl  of  gruel, 
one  bowl  of  rice ; meditate  upon  it ; it  does  not  come  easily.” 
To  comparatively  few  people  in  China  does  food  come  easily  ; 
therefore  the  Chinese  are  compelled  to  learn  economical 
cookery.  In  a gang  of  labourers  the  smallest  boy  is  told  off 
to  cook,  and  is  to  the  manner  born. 

A coolie  can  live  on  ten  cents  a day,  revel  on  twenty, 
and  go  to  the  devil  on  thirty.  He  is  as  well  nourished  upon 
twopence  or  threepence  a day  as  a British  workman  upon 
Is.  4d.  or  Is.  6d.  I have  often  seen  one  of  them  take  from  a 
street  stall  and  eat  a howl  of  vermicelli  or  of  flour  halls  cooked 


CHINESE  FOOD 


113 


in  sugar,  or  of  miscellaneous  vegetables  covered  with  different 
kinds  of  relishes.  For  this  he  would  give  a few  cash  coins  of 
which  it  takes  nearly  a thousand  to  make  a dollar,  and  with  a 
couple  more  cash  he  would  buy  a cigarette  and  then  walk  away 
looking  more  satisfied  than  those  do  who  lunch  at  expensive 
London  clubs. 

The  low  price  of  food  in  inland  China  astonishes  travellers. 
The  inns  are  nasty,  but  they  certainly  are  cheap.  Dr. 
Morrison  writes : “ For  supper,  bed,  and  light,  tea  during 
the  night  and  tea  before  starting  in  the  morning,  and  various 
little  comforts,  such  as  hot  water  for  washing,  the  total  charge 
for  the  six  nights  of  my  journey  from  Chungking  to  Suifu  was 
840  cash  (Is.  9d.).”  This  was  in  1894,  however,  and  every 
year  the  prices  are  becoming  more  civilised  (?). 

Another  man,  when  travelling  for  the  first  time  in  the 
interior  of  China,  once  gave  a dollar  to  his  servant  to  buy  a 
chicken.  At  dinner-time  the  servant  brought  a “ huge 
trencher,  resembling  a tub,  filled  with  a fricassee  of  little 
pieces  of  smoking  chicken.  ‘ What  ? All  that  ? ’ I cried. 
‘Yes,  sir;  with  your  dollar  I got  twelve  chickens.”’  For 
those  who  cannot  afford  to  buy  a whole  chicken  or  duck  or 
goose,  the  leg  or  wing  of  the  bird  is  sold  separately,  as  with  us 
a leg  of  mutton  is  sold. 

One  would  think  that  eating  was  the  trade  of  Chinese  cities, 
so  many  are  the  restaurants  they  contain.  These  restaurants 
are  known  by  the  wood-carving  and  other  kinds  of  ornamen- 
tation outside,  and  by  the  plates  of  brass  that  cover  the  stairs 
in  the  middle  of  the  shop  which  lead  to  the  upper  dining- 
rooms. 

When  a Chinaman  does  not  dine  at  a restaurant  he  buys 
his  food  at  a market,  and  it  is  a common  sight  to  see  him 
carry  to  his  house  a few  ounces  of  pork  and  some  sprouting 
beans  tied  by  a straw  and  attached  to  his  first  finger. 

As  a rule  Chinese  tradesmen  and  those  whom  they  employ 
take  their  meals  together,  sitting  in  a circle  in  their  place  of 

8 


114  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


business.  Each  person  fills  his  basin  from  a large  bowl  of 
steaming  rice,  and  holding  it  up  to  his  chin  with  his  left  hand, 
shovels  its  contents  into  his  mouth  with  chopsticks  at  an 
astonishing  rate.  The  operation  reminds  one  of  coaling  a 
ship.  Then  the  graceful  eater  picks  up  pieces  of  fish,  pork, 
salt  duck,  pickled  cabbage,  cut  into  mouthfuls  to  suit  the 
“ nimble  lads,”  or  chopsticks,  out  of  bowls  which  are  used  by 
all.  The  meal  is  washed  dowm  with  tea  or  hot  water. 

On  one  day  of  the  year  the  members  of  a family  eat  together 
a festive  food  called  filial  gruel  or  porridge.  It  is  supposed  to 
nourish  filial  piety,  though  one  would  think  that  a rod  would 
be  more  effective.  A little  while  before  a Chinese  dinner- 
party you  are  informed  that  on day  a trifling  entertain- 

ment will  await  the  light  of  your  countenance.  When  the 
day  comes,  another  invitation  stating  the  approximate  hour 
for  the  feast  is  sent,  or  a servant  brings  his  master’s  large  red 
visiting-card,  which  signifies,  “ Come,  for  all  things  are  now 
ready.”  The  hour  at  which  a dinner  begins  is  any  time 
between  four  o’clock  and  seven  ; its  vagueness  would  upset  a 
British  cook. 

The  guests  on  arriving  are  given  cups  of  tea.  Each  takes 
his  invitation-card  from  the  servant  who  carries  it,  and  gives 
it  to  the  host  from  whom  it  originally  came.  This  prevents 
guests  coming  uninvited. 

Just  before  the  guests  sit  down  to  dinner  the  host  will 
probably  say,  “Gentlemen,  will  you  take  off  your  coats?” 
Then  the  servant  of  each  removes  the  official  coat  and  perhaps 
the  chain  of  his  master. 

“ When  one  is  eating  one’s  own,”  says  a Chinese  proverb, 
“ one  does  not  eat  to  repletion ; when  one  is  eating  another’s, 
one  eats  till  the  tears  run.” 

Chinese  hospitality  is  only  satisfied  so  long  as  the  mouth  of 
the  guest  is  filled,  and  when  he  gets  up  to  leave  an  entertain- 
ment every  effort  is  made  to  detain  him. 

From  twenty  to  fifty  or  sixty  dishes  appear  at  the  dinner  of 


CHINESE  FOOD 


115 


a rich  man  in  relays  of  four  or  six  at  a time.  Politeness 
requires  that  you  should  at  least  tasto  each  dish  at  all 
hazards.  You  must  do  more  than  this,  however,  with  the  last 
portion  of  food  you  are  given,  which  is  always  a bowl  of  rice, 
to  fill  up  any  crevice  that  may  remain.  To  show  your 
appreciation  of  the  feast  you  must,  if  you  accept  this,  finish 
every  grain.  Occasionally  the  host  will  grant  a reprieve  and 
say  that  the  rice  need  not  be  finished.  Even  high-class 
Chinese  clear  their  bowls,  which  are  not  changed,  by  calmly 
throwing  bones  and  pieces  of  gristle  on  the  floor,  and  when 
eating  and  drinking  they  make  noises  which  we  would  think 
disgusting.  Red  paper  napkins,  five  inches  by  two,  are  folded 
beside  each  guest. 

When  you  think  that  a dinner  is  finished  it  is  only  for  a 
time,  during  which  cloths  wrung  out  in  hot  water  are  handed 
round  for  mopping  the  brow,  and  the  stolidly  decorous  girls  who 
are  hired  to  play  and  sing  cease  performing  and  come  round 
to  fan  and  talk  to  you.  Then  a second  edition  of  edibles  is 
put  upon  the  tables,  and  the  refreshed  guests  begin  the  attack 
once  more. 

Men  always  dine  by  themselves,  but  sometimes  dinner- 
parties are  given  by  ladies  for  ladies.  An  old  medical  maxim 
says  that  the  stomach  loves  surprises.  If  this  be  so,  my 
stomach  must  have  been  greatly  benefited  by  the  two  or  three 
Chinese  dinners  I have  attended,  for  that  member  was  not 
only  surprised  but  astounded  every  now  and  then.  It  told 
me  afterwards,  however,  in  its  own  unmistakable  way,  that 
the  only  half-cooked  or  raw  vegetables  that  were  mixed 
up  in  nearly  all  the  dishes  were  anything  but  an  agreeable 
surprise. 

Guests  are  arranged  in  parties  of  eight  at  tables  on  which 
are  no  cloths.  They  help  themselves  with  their  chopsticks 
and  little  porcelain  spoons  from  the  dishes  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  tables.  When  the  host  would  compliment  a guest  he 
selects  a titbit  with  his  own  chopsticks  and  puts  it  into  the 


116  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


guest’s  bowl,  and  the  guest  does  the  same  in  return.  Guests 
also  exchange  elegant  extracts  in  the  same  way. 

Those  to  the  manner  born  can  do  wonders  with  chopsticks. 
A certain  courtier  was  so  expert  that  once  when  a grain  of  rice 
fell  from  the  Emperor’s  lips  he  caught  it  between  his  chop- 
sticks as  it  fell.  For  this  feat  he  was  appointed  to  high 
office. 

The  best  thing  that  one  gets  at  a Chinese  dinner  is  bird’s- 
nest  soup,  but  as  the  excellence  of  turtle  soup  depends  upon 
the  things  other  than  turtle  that  are  put  into  it,  so  is  it  with 
bird’s-nest  soup.  The  bird’s  nest  is  the  least  important  part 
of  it.  Another  soup  which  tastes  better  than  it  sounds  is 
made  of  sea-slugs. 

The  following  dishes  seem  curious  to  the  foreign  diner-out  in 
China  : Frogs,  smoked  duck,  roofs  of  the  mouths  of  pigs,  soles 
of  pigeon’s  feet,  sinews  of  whale  and  of  deer,  sharks’  fins, 
fish  brains,  fish  with  pickled  fir-tree  cones,  bellies  of  fish,  roots 
of  the  lotus  lily.  Sometimes  a hundred  chickens  will  be  killed 
to  get  their  brains  for  one  dish,  or  as  many  ducks  for  the  sake 
of  their  tongues.  Samshu,  which  is  a spirit  made  of  rice,  is 
served  hot  in  beautiful  little  cups  after  each  course.  It  tastes 
like  beer  and  sherry  or  beer  and  whiskey  mixed. 

After  a Chinese  dinner  it  is  polite  to  look  towards  the 
host  and  eructate  in  his  face.  This  indicates  gratitude  for  the 
repletion  which  his  hospitality  has  caused.  Then  there  are 
set  phrases  that  must  be  used.  The  host  says  that  he  ought 
to  be  killed  for  the  shabby  way  he  has  entertained  his  guest, 
and  the  guest  declares  that  he  has  been  treated  far  better 
than  he  deserves,  which  is  probably  true. 

The  Chinese  profess  only  to  eat  two  meals  in  the  day,  for 
they  do  not  count  the  “ piece  of  heart,”  consisting  of  some 
kind  of  cake  and  tea,  which  they  take  on  rising  in  the  morning 
or  the  snacks  with  which  they  solace  themselves  between  the 
morning  and  evening  big  meals. 

The  Chinese  catch  fish  and  game  in  ways  that  are  dark  but 


CHINESE  FOOD 


117 


ingenious.  They  train  otters  and  cormorants  to  fish  for  them. 
They  use  boats  on  moonlight  nights  having  wooden  flaps  at 
their  sides  descending  to  the  water  at  a particular  inclination, 
and  painted  white.  The  fish  being  deceived  by  the  light 
reflected  from  these  boards,  leap  upon  them,  and  are  turned 
over  into  the  boat  with  a jerk.  Europeans  who  have  seen 
the  public  latrines  that  surround  Chinese  fish-ponds  admire 
the  thrift  they  reveal,  but  say,  “No  fish,  thank  you,”  at 
dinner.  In  the  shops  fish  are  kept  alive  in  tanks. 

I have  observed  with  interest  an  oyster-gatherer  at  work. 
To  prevent  sinking  in  the  mud  he  kneels  with  one  knee  upon  a 
board  and  propels  the  vehicle  with  his  other  foot.  No  peoplo 
eat  seaweeds  so  extensively  as  the  Chinese. 

A Chinese  shoots  snipe  from  his  hip  with  a gun  that 
has  no  stock.  Artificial  decoy  birds  are  often  to  be  seen. 
Rice  steeped  in  samshu  is  sometimes  left  for  wild  ducks ; 
they  eat  it,  get  drunk,  and  are  caught  in  their  cups.  The 
following  method  is  used  on  teetotal  principles.  Hollow 
gourds  are  thrown  into  the  water  and  allowed  to  float  about. 
When  the  birds  have  become  accustomed  to  these,  men 
place  similar  gourds  over  their  heads,  with  holes  to  see  and 
breathe  through.  Then  wading  quietly  along,  with  their 
bodies  immersed  to  above  the  shoulders,  they  approach  the 
birds,  and  pull  them  under  water  by  their  legs  in  succession. 

You  see  a great  many  people  in  China  so  thin  that  they 
look  as  if  they  had  not  even  a bowing  acquaintance  with  food. 
In  many  cases  these  animated  skeletons  spend  upon  opium 
the  little  money  they  have  with  which  to  nourish  themselves. 
They  literally  “ eat  smoke  ” — to  use  their  own  expression.  It 
may  be  true  that  this  indulgence  in  moderation  does  as  little 
harm  as  our  drinking  in  moderation ; but  how  difficult  is 
moderation  ! The  Chinese  themselves  have  a saying  that  “ It 
is  not  the  man  who  eats  the  opium,  but  the  opium  that  eats 
the  man.”  Even  if  opium  did  not  directly  injure  health,  it  is 
pernicious,  because  it  wastes  so  much  time  and  money. 


118  gJOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

What  would  China  be  without  its  tea-gardens  and  tea- 
houses ? When  a Chinese  pays  a visit,  he  is  immediately 
offered  a cup  of  tea.  When  he  invites  a friend  to  come  and 
see  him,  he  uses  the  formula,  “ The  tea  is  ready.”  In  the 
hot  weather  charitable  people  supply  receptacles  from  which 
any  one  who  likes  can  take  tea.  Tea  is  always  ready  where 
people  are  at  work. 


CHAPTER  XI 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY 


Chinese  medicines  horrible — They  cure,  however,  the  man  who  is  fated  not 
todie — A recipe  forophthalmia — Large  doses — A sort  of  multum  in  ■purvo — 
Dosed  to  death — A Chinaman  loves  free  medicines — “ It  is  his  pig  ’’ — 
“ A little  dragon  inside  me  ” — Transforming  medicines — To  give  courage 
— Blood  bread — “ Dragon’s  clothes  An  old  remedy — The  doctor’s 
shop — A saying  of  Confucius — Pulses— Duo  proportions — Three  classes 
of  doctors — Payment  by  results — Simples — Acupuncture — Too  patient — 
Jokes  against  doctors — Superstitious  remedies. 

T Canton  there  aro  schools  where  Chinese  men  and 


women  are  taught  Western  medicine,  and  similar  ones 
are  being  started  in  other  cities.  The  remedies,  too,  that  are 
used  by  native  medical  men  in  the  treaty  ports  have  been 
modified  by  contact  with  Europeans,  but  at  a little  distance  from 
these  ports  strange  and  extremely  nasty  preparations  such  as 
physicked  our  Middle  Ages  are  still  prescribed.  A missionary 
doctor  told  me  that  when  called  in  to  see  a man  suffering  from 
fits  he  found  him  smelling  white  mice  in  a cage,  with  a dead 
fowl  fastened  on  his  chest  and  a bundle  of  grass  attached  to 
his  feet.  He  had  been  informed  that  this  would  cure  him. 

What  do  our  readers  think  of  glue  made  of  asses’  sinews 
and  of  fowls’  blood,  of  bears’  gall,  of  shavings  of  the  horn  of 
a rhinoceros,  of  fungus  grown  upon  a coffin,  of  the  dung  of 
dogs,  pigs,  fowls,  rabbits,  pigeons,  and  of  bats,  as  medicines  ? 
Cockroach  tea  cheers  as  little  as  it  inebriates,  but  is  believed 
to  be  medicinal.  I have  been  told  that  a bear’s  paw  when 


119 


120  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

made  into  soup  is  a “ number  one  ” cure  for  wind  in  the 
stomach.  Other  ailments  are  cured  by  a decoction  of  the 
paws  of  monkeys. 

Toad’s  eyebrows  provoke  sneezing,  and  thus  clear  the  head. 
For  a sick  stomach  earth-worms  are  rolled  in  honey  and 
swallowed  alive. 

A boy  was  brought  to  a hospital  of  the  London  Mission 
with  symptoms  of  fever.  The  English  doctor  not  being  at 
home,  the  boy  was  taken  to  a Chinese  practitioner,  who  pre- 
scribed a decoction  of  three  scorpions,  to  be  taken  internally. 
The  patient  was  well  next  day,  for  as  a Chinese  proverb  says, 
“ Medicine  ernes  the  man  who  is  fated  not  to  die.”  A recipe 
for  ophthalmia,  posted  on  the  walls  of  Peking,  ran  as  follows : 
“ Take  three  bright  brass  coins  of  the  reign  of  Tao  Kwang, 
boil  them  in  water,  and  use  the  lotion.” 

“ Pills  made  out  of  a whole  stag  slaughtered  with  purity 
of  purpose  on  a propitious  day  ” are  considered  valuable 
remedies.  A preparation  from  the  antlers  of  deer  is  given  to 
promote  virility.  So  are  the  genital  organs  of  a cat.  For 
some  diseases  of  children  centipedes  are  prepared.  A Chinese 
dose  of  medicine  will  consist  of  as  many  as  twenty  packages, 
and  a pill  will  sometimes  be  as  large  as  the  egg  of  a 
pigeon. 

A friend  of  the  writer  asked  an  Irish  countryman  what 
medicine  he  had  taken  during  a recent  illness.  “Troth,  your 
honour,”  was  the  reply,  “I  don’t  know;  it  was  a sort  of 
multum  in  parvo — the  less  you  take  of  it  the  better.”  Chinese 
medicine  is  seldom  in  parvo,  but  the  less  you  take  of  it  the 
better.  Sometimes,  however,  one  sees  medicines  with  a great 
reputation  and  hard  to  get,  such  as  the  excrement  of 
mosquitoes,  sold  in  very  small  bottles.  Ginseng  is  considered 
worth  eight  times  its  weight  in  silver  because  of  its  “repairing 
qualities.”  A “supernatural  fulfilment  of  all  desires”  is  the 
result  claimed  for  certain  red  pills  that  are  very  small. 

A Viceroy  of  Canton  is  said  to  have  been  dosed  to  death  by 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY  121 

a native  medicine  man.  He  was  being  treated  by  a German 
physician  for  inflammation  of  the  bowels.  Lest  Chinese 
practitioners  should  spoil  the  case,  the  German  did  not  leave 
the  sick  man’s  room  for  a whole  week.  Then  he  ventured  to 
go  out,  and  a Chinese  came  in  and  said  to  the  Viceroy,  “You 
are  getting  on  well,  but  you  will  bo  cured  much  sooner  if  you 
will  take  a little  remedy  which  I have  brought  for  you.”  The 
“ little  remedy  ” was  a kettle  full  of  black  stuff.  The  Viceroy 
took  three  doses,  and  had  a viceregal  funeral. 

A Chinaman  is  never  so  pleased  as  when  taking  medicine, 
and  the  pleasure  of  getting  it,  especially  if  it  be  quinine  for 
nothing  from  a medical  missionary,  overcomes  his  prejudice 
against  foreign  innovations.  A man  described  certain  pains 
and  other  symptoms,  and  asked  for  medicine  for  the  patient. 
“ Is  it  a man  ? ” asked  the  doctor.  “ No.”  “ Is  it  a woman 
or  a child  ? ” “ Neither.”  Then  one  in  the  crowd  interposed, 
and  said,  “It  is  his  pig.” 

The  head  Chinese  clerk  of  a friend  of  mine  said,  “ I have 
been  vely  sick  for  three  days ! ” “ What  has  been  wrong?  ” 

inquired  my  friend.  “ It  was  a little  dragon  inside  me,  but 
I took  some  medicine,  and  it  frightened  it  away.”  Chinese 
medicine  would  frighten  anything. 

Nothing  is  admitted  to  be  beyond  its  power.  An  English- 
man becoming  acquainted  with  a native  practitioner,  showed 
him  with  paternal  pride  his  three  fair-haired  little  girls. 
“ Their  complexions  are  beautiful,”  said  the  Chinese,  “ but 
their  hair  is  hardly  dark  enough.  A dose  taken  three  times  a 
day  from  a bottle  which  I would  send  would  make  a wonderful 
improvement.”  He  went  on  with  more  embarrassment, 
“ There  is  another  thing  about  them  that  I hardly  like  to 
mention.”  His  friend  reassured  him.  “ Well,  if  you  will 
allow  me  to  say  it,  they  are  all  of  them  girls.  Now7,  I have 
at  home  some  pills  which  if  they  take  regularly  for  a couple 
of  months  will  turn  them  into  three  as  fine  boys  as  father 
could  wish  for.” 


122  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

An  infusion  from  the  bones  of  a tiger  is  believed  to  confer 
courage,  strength,  and  agility.  When  the  skin  of  a tiger  has 
been  obtained,  many  bones  are  sold  under  its  cover  that  never 
belonged  to  that  species  of  animal.  Near  Ningpo  a large 
tiger  appeared.  The  chief  magistrate,  military  mandarin, 
and  a force  of  soldiers,  with  two  cannons,  came  to  the  attack. 
When  the  animal  was  killed,  the  magistrate  claimed  it,  but 
the  military  officer  said  that  it  was  required  for  himself  and 
his  men.  “ It  is  our  duty  to  be  brave,  and  what  better  recipe 
can  you  suggest  for  courage  than  soup  made  from  tiger’s 
bones?”  Soldiers  eat  the  calves  of  the  legs  and  the  hearts 
of  executed  robbers  to  absorb  their  strength  and  courage. 

In  1887  it  was  announced  in  the  Peking  Gazette  that  the 
skin  and  bones  of  a palace  elephant  that  had  died  were  to  be 
kept  “for  His  Majesty’s  use”  when  unwell.  Flour  balls 
steeped  in  the  blood  of  executed  criminals,  and  called  “ blood 
bread,”  are  occasionally  sold  to  cure  consumption. 

In  the  Shanghai  Courier  and  Gazette  (November,  1875) 
mention  is  made  of  a son  cutting  a piece  of  flesh  from  his 
left  arm  and  boiling  it  down  as  a cure  for  his  mother,  who  was 
dangerously  ill.  The  Peking  Gazette  records  an  identical  act 
which  a daughter  performed  for  a sick  father. 

A friend  of  mine  who  had  killed  a snake  in  Hong  Kong 
was  asked  by  a Chinaman  for  a bit  of  it.  “What  for?” 
“ Me  boil  him  and  eat  him  ; he  makee  me  cunning  and  wise.” 
“ Dragon’s  clothes,”  as  the  skins  of  snakes  are  called,  are  in 
great  request  as  medicines.  So  are  the  skins  of  armadillocs. 

It  is  strange  that  such  a clean  thing  as  the  peel  of  an 
orange  should  be  given  as  medicine  in  China,  but  it  is,  and 
that  so  commonly  that  you  get  an  orange  a few  cash  lower 
price  if  you  do  not  take  the  peel. 

The  bite  of  a cobra  or  other  snake  is  said  to  bo  counter- 
acted by  sucking  up  and  swallowing  water  through  an  old 
tobacco  pipe. 

Here  is  the  old  remedy,  “ a hair  of  the  dog  that  bit  you,” 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY  123 

in  a prescription : “ For  a clog’s  bite,  catch  the  dog,  pull  out 
a few  of  his  hairs  anil  work  thorn  into  a paste  with  a little 
lime  and  oil ; apply  tho  paste  to  the  wound.”  The  lime  and 
oil  may  be  of  some  use,  but  the  hair  is  what  is  believed  in. 

Summer  brings  “ dog  days  ” literally  in  China,  for  at  tho 
commencement  of  that  season  pooplo  cat  dog-meat  as  a 
prophylactic  against  illness. 

Tho  consulting-room  of  tho  cheaper  practitioner  is  a booth 
or  tent  at  a street-corner  or  in  a court  of  a temple.  You 
know  it  by  the  long  strings  of  extracted  teeth  that  hang  up. 
On  one  string  I noticed  two  pieces  of  jaw-bone,  which  wero 
not  reassuring.  There  are  also  dried  snakes,  many  roots, 
bits  of  bark,  curious  herbs,  and  out-of-the-common  dried  fruit. 
Things  of  no  value  are  made  to  appear  mystically  medicinal 
by  being  wrapped  in  silk  and  stored  in  small  boxes  enclosed 
in  larger  ones.  Those  little  bottles  contain  substances  that 
are  valued  only  because  they  are  rare  and  hard  to  get.  The 
walls  are  stuck  over  with  plasters  that  have  clone  their  duty 
and  been  returned  by  grateful  patients  in  testimony  of  their 
efficiency. 

Outside  the  doctor’s  shop  there  is  a crowd  hoping  to  see 
an  operation,  and  no  doubt  these  idlers  help  patients  to  bear 
without  a moan,  and  often  with  sweet  smiles,  the  burning, 
nipping,  punching,  puncturing,  and  other  tortures  which  with 
simple  faith  they  pay  to  have  inflicted  upon  them.  Certainly 
burning  and  pinching  may  draw  out  inflammation,  and  are 
cheaper  than  the  croton  oil  and  other  things  which  we  use  for 
that  purpose.  When  a coolie  has  a cold  in  his  head,  he  nips 
with  two  coins  the  flesh  on  the  bridge  of  his  nose  and  gets,  or 
thinks  that  he  gets,  relief  by  so  doing. 

In  China  the  distinction  between  a surgeon  and  a physician 
is  drawn  by  calling  the  former  an  outside  doctor  and  the  latter 
an  inside  one.  An  “ outer  doctor  ” cut  off  the  two  ends  of 
an  arrow  that  had  gone  through  a man’s  arm  and  put  a 
plaster  on  either  wound.  “But,”  objected  the  patient,  “ the 


124  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

rest  of  the  arrow  is  still  there.  “ That,”  answered  the 
medico,  “ is  not  my  business ; you  must  get  an  inner  doctor  if 
you  want  it  removed.” 

Queer,  too,  are  the  expressions  used  in  describing  diseases. 
A Chinaman  will  tell  you  that  he  has  a pain  in  “ the  east  side 
of  his  stomach.”  Talking  of  this  last  organ,  we  may 
mention  that  the  Chinese  think  that  the  stomach  is  the  seat 
of  intellect.  It  certainly  has  a great  influence  upon  our 
mental  efforts. 

Confucius  said  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  return 
his  body  to  the  earth  as  whole  as  when  it  came  from  his 
mother’s  womb.  In  deference  to  this  dictum,  Chinese 
surgeons  do  not  dissect  dead  subjects,  and  are  in  consequence 
ignorant  of  the  location  of  even  the  largest  viscera.  They 
only  practise  external  surgery,  and  will  allow  an  arm  or  a leg 
to  mortify  rather  than  amputate  it.  If  a Chinese  in  a European 
hospital  is  advised  by  the  surgeon  to  have  a limb  cut  off,  he 
will  sometimes  ask  the  surgeon  how  many  dollars  will  be 
given  to  him  for  allowing  it  to  be  done. 

One  reason  why  Chinese  soldiers  have  a tendency  to  run 
away  in  battle  is  no  doubt  because  any  mutilation  of  the  body 
is  considered  an  act  of  disrespect  to  the  parents  from  whom  it 
was  received.  Our  doctors  are  content  with  feeling  the  pulse 
in  one  wrist,  but  Chinese  medical  men  feel  both  wrists,  and 
recognise  431  distinct  pulses.  They  think  that  the  right 
wrist  reveals  the  state  of  the  lungs  and  liver,  and  the  left  that 
of  the  heart.  This  last  organ,  they  say,  is  the  husband,  and 
the  lungs  are  the  wife,  and  they  ought  to  act  in  harmony. 
Should  the  patient  be  a lady,  her  wrists  are  allowed  to  appear 
beneath  the  screen  behind  which  she  reclines,  so  that  the 
pulse  may  be  felt.  So  little  do  the  Chinese  guard  against 
infection  that  a woman  will  wash  the  rice  for  her  family  in 
the  same  stagnant  pool  at  which  another  woman  is  washing 
tho  bedclothes  of  a cholera  patient.  Chinese  practitioners 
say  that  the  tops  of  plants  cure  the  head  and  upper  parts  of  a 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY  125 

man  and  its  lower  parts  his  lower  parts.  They  attribute  all 
diseases  to  cold  and  hot  influences.  If  the  tongue  be  white, 
the  patient  is  under  the  cold  influence;  if  yellow,  he  is  under 
tho  hot  influence.  If  tho  centre  of  the  tongue  be  white  and 
the  edges  yellow,  he  is  undor  tho  cold  influence  inside,  and 
his  skin  is  undor  the  hot  and  vice  versa.  A proper 
proportion,  too,  must  also  be  maintained  between  earth, 
metal,  fire,  wood,  and  water,  the  fivo  elements  of  which  man’s 
body  is  thought  to  be  composed.  There  must  also  be  due 
proportion  between  dryness  and  moisture. 

No  diploma  of  any  kind  is  required  to  practise  medicine. 
Doctors  in  China  may  be  divided  into  three  classes — those 
who  have  failed  at  tho  literary  examinations,  those  who  have 
inherited  prescriptions,  and  those  who  are  mere  quacks.  It 
has  been  said  that  it  is  the  practice  of  physicians  in  Europe 
to  put  that  of  which  they  know  little  into  that  of  which  they 
know  less.  How  much  more  terribly  true  is  this  of  Chinese 
medicine-men ! In  China,  even  more  than  in  our  own 
country,  the  sure  doctor  is  Death,  for  he  only  pays  one  visit. 

The  Chinese  believe  in  paying  physicians  by  results. 
When  the  last  emperor  was  attacked  by  small-pox,  an 
improvement  in  his  symptoms  brought  a shower  of  gifts 
and  honours  on  the  Court  physicians.  Of  these,  however, 
they  were  stripped  when,  the  disease  taking  a fatal  turn, 
His  Majesty  “ ascended  on  a dragon  to  be  a guest  on 
high.”  ' 

The  fee  of  an  ordinary  Chinese  doctor  (known  as  “ horse- 
hire  ”)  ranges  from  five  cents  to  half  a dollar;  but  whatever 
it  is  it  is  wrapped  up  in  red  paper  bearing  the  inscription 
“ golden  thanks.” 

As  the  medico  frequently  makes  up  his  own  medicine,  it  is 
his  interest  to  put  into  them  many  and  expensive  ingredients. 
These  are  criticised  by  the  friends  of  the  sick  person.  Could 
not  this  and  that  item  be  done  without  ? Sometimes  after 
consulting  aloud,  even  in  the  presence  of  the  patient,  they 


126  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

will  decide  that  it  is  better  not  to  pay  so  much  for  physic,  but 
to  let  the  disease  run  its  course  and  spend  the  money  on  a 
good  coffin  and  fine  funeral. 

Notwithstanding  what  has  been  said  about  Chinese  medi- 
cines, it  is  a paradoxical  fact  that  they  sometimes  cure. 
They  are  largely  composed  of  simples,  and  in  reference  to  the 
physical  body  as  well  as  to  the  body  politic  and  to  the  soul, 
simples  are  often  the  best  remedies.  The  Chinese  have  this 
wise  maxim,  “ One  sleepless  night  cannot  be  compensated 
by  ten  nights  of  sleep.”  They  used  anaesthetics  long  before 
these  were  dreamt  of  in  Europe. 

Acupuncture  is  one  of  the  nine  branches  of  medical  science 
recognised  by  the  Chinese.  There  are  367  markings  on  the 
ancient  copper  figures  of  the  human  body  that  are  kept  to 
guide  acupuncturists  in  their  work.  Some  of  these  operators, 
however,  seem  only  to  follow  their  own  sweet  will  as  regards 
the  places  where  they  insert  their  hot  and  cold  needles.  I 
have  heard  of  a man  being  pricked  underneath  his  tongue  for 
an  attack  of  diarrhoea.  No  hesitation  is  felt  in  thrusting  a 
needle  into  a patient’s  liver  or  stomach. 

Once,  at  Shangai,  I joined  a crowd  in  a temple  court  and 
saw  a man  acupunctured  for  a swollen  leg.  About  a dozen 
needles,  like  sewing-machine  ones,  were  driven  into  the  limb. 
On  the  top  of  each  needle  oiled  tow,  or  something  of  the  kind, 
was  fastened  and  lighted.  When  the  needles  became  red-hot 
the  flesh  fizzled  as  though  a beef-steak  were  being  cooked. 
Superior  to  pain,  the  patient  chatted  and  laughed  with  the 
bystanders. 

Quacks  deal  much  in  acupuncture,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
following  case  that  came  before  the  Hong  Kong  police  court : 
On  a Saturday  afternoon  when  a tallyman  called  Li  Tong  was 
returning  from  work  he  was  accosted  by  another  Chinaman,  who 
told  him  he  was  in  consumption,  and  that  the  best  thing  he 
could  do  was  to  see  a physician  to  whom  he  would  introduce 
him.  The  tallyman  said  that  he  suffered  no  pain,  but 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY  127 

was  induced  after  some  persuasion  to  go  to  the  doctor’s  house. 
The  physician  examined  him  with  bits  of  scrap  iron,  told  his 
patient  to  gaze  at  the  ceiling,  pricked  his  chest  with  a needle, 
and  dropped  the  needle  on  the  floor  beforo  the  tallyman  looked 
down.  “ Now,”  ho  said,  “ the  $13.40  you  gave  me  was  for 
placing  the  needle  in  your  chest.  I want  $8  more  before  I 
can  tako  the  needle  out ! ” The  tallyman  was  wild  with 
terror,  and  imagined  he  had  razors  in  his  chest,  although  the 
needle,  said  to  be  in  his  chest  by  the  doctor,  was  quickly 
picked  up  and  hidden  away.  Li  Tong  said  he  would  return 
with  the  money,  ran  home,  told  his  people  of  the  needle,  and 
as  they  already  knew  what  tricks  these  doctors  perform,  a 
gang  of  them,  including  the  tallyman,  returned  to  interview 
the  doctor.  As  soon  as  they  entered  they  demanded  the 
return  of  the  $13.40,  and  as  the  doctor  refused,  a police- 
man was  summoned,  and  the  physician  was  placed  in 
custody. 

It  is  disheartening  the  way  the  Chinese,  after  experiencing 
the  benefit  of  Western  treatment,  wall  go  back  to  their  own 
remedies  the  next  time  they  have  an  attack  of  the  same 
sickness.  An  American  medical  man  told  me  that  he  found 
a servant  of  his  whom  he  had  twice  treated  successfully  for 
fever  and  ague,  having  his  back  scraped  with  a sharp  spoon 
as  a counter-irritant  the  next  time  he  was  attacked  by  it.  It 
vexed  my  friend  to  see  skin  and  flesh  scraped  off,  for  he  knew 
that  the  boy  would  be  prevented  from  working  for  days. 

Some  Chinese  are  too  patient  when  sick.  A man  will  kill 
himself  by  not  having  his  disease  attended  to  in  time  because 
he  was  too  busy  or  because  it  might  have  cost  something  to 
do  so.  A patient  who  was  being  treated  in  a mission  hospital 
for  an  ulcerated  neck  mentioned,  on  the  eighteenth  day,  that 
his  leg  prevented  him  from  sleeping.  Upon  examination  it 
was  found  that  he  had  there  another  terrible  ulcer. 

Chinese  medical  men,  like  their  brothers  elsewhere,  have 
to  put  up  with  a considerable  amount  of  chaffing.  Here  is  a 


128  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Joe  Miller  on  the  subject  taken  from  a popular  book.  The 
King  of  Purgatory  sent  lictors  to  earth  to  bring  to  him  some 
skilful  physician.  “ You  must  look  for  one,”  said  the  King, 
“ at  whose  door  there  are  no  spirits  of  disembodied  patients.” 
The  lictors  went  off,  but  at  the  house  of  every  doctor  they 
visited  there  were  crowds  of  wailing  ghosts  hanging  about. 
At  last  they  found  a doctor  at  whose  door  there  was  only  a 
single  shade,  and  cried  out,  “ This  man  is  evidently  the 
skilful  one  we  are  in  search  of.”  On  inquiry,  however,  they 
discovered  that  he  had  only  started  practise  the  day  before. 

When  a Chinese  physician  has  been  long  unsuccessful 
he  retires  and  consoles  himself  with  the  adage  that  “ There 
is  medicine  for  sickness,  but  none  for  fate.” 

Then  there  are  many  kinds  of  faith-healing  and  super- 
stitious remedies.  Taoist  priests  are  hired  to  recite  formulae, 
ring  bells,  and  manipulate  bowls  of  water,  candles,  joss-sticks, 
and  curious  charms.  Sometimes  the  family  stipulate  that  one 
of  these  reverend  gentlemen  shall  ascend  barefooted  a ladder 
the  rounds  of  which  consist  of  swords  or  long  knives,  with  the 
edges  upwards,  and  go  through  his  exorcisms  at  the  top. 

At  temples  of  what  are  called  “ Doctor  Gods  ” piles  of 
written  or  printed  prescriptions  are  numbered  and  kept  in 
stock.  A person,  after  praying  and  lighting  a joss-stick, 
shakes  out  from  a receptacle  one  of  several  bamboo  slips 
with  numbers  on  them.  In  return  for  cash  the  temple- 
keeper  gives  a prescription  having  on  it  the  number  that 
corresponds.  If  faith  is  not  placed  in  these  cut-and-dried  pre- 
scriptions, the  priests  are  sometimes  paid  to  bring  the  god  out 
in  his  chair  to  look  for  the  kind  of  herbs  that  will  exactly  suit 
the  case. 

In  the  presence  of  cholera  people  sometimes  practise  vege- 
tarianism as  a religious  exercise,  which  cannot  be  very  good 
for  them  considering  the  dirty  way  Chinese  vegetables  arc 
cultivated. 

Even  an  educated  Confucianist  will  tell  you  that  he  has 


MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY  129 

cured  an  ache  in  his  stomach  by  reading  a Chinese  translation 
of  a certain  Buddhist  sacred  book. 

When  a Chinese  recovers  he  often  thanks  his  stars  rather 
than  medical  treatment,  because  there  is  a widespread  belief 
that  tho  five  elements  of  which  a man’s  body  is  thought  to  be 
composed  are  connected  with  tho  five  principal  planets,  the 
twenty-eight  lunar  mansions,  &c. 

A relative  or  friend  of  a sick  person  will  visit  a temple  and 
beat  the  drum,  which  notifies  to  the  god  that  there  is  urgent 
need  of  his  help.  To  ensure  that  the  god  hears,  sometimes 
one  or  both  of  his  ears  are  tickled.  Then  the  part  of  tho 
image  is  rubbed  which  corresponds  with  the  part  of  the  body 
of  the  sick  person  affected,  and  the  applicant  proceeds  to 
state  tho  circumstances  of  the  case,  that  the  man  has  several 
children  or  aged  parents,  and  so  on,  depending  upon  his 
recovery.  On  returning  to  the  sick  person’s  house  the  suppli- 
cant brings  some  ashes  taken  from  the  censer  standing  before 
the  image.  These  are  done  up  in  red  paper  and  placed  in 
the  censer  belonging  to  the  household,  and  incense  and 
candies  are  daily  burned  before  them  until  the  sick  person 
either  recovers  or  dies.  I have  often  seen  holy  water  brought 
away  from  a temple  to  bo  boiled  with  tea  and  drunk  as  a 
certain  cure.  Spells  written  on  paper  are  burned  and  the 
ashes  put  into  water  and  taken  as  medicine. 

The  sight  of  a mother  making  a fire  of  paper  in  honour  of  a 
god  and  waving  over  it  a small  garment  of  her  sick  child  is 
very  common  in  China.  She  thinks  that  this  helps  its 
recovery.  There  are  many  curious  methods  in  use  for 
bringing  back  the  spirit  of  health  into  the  empty  garment 
of  a sick  person.  Curious,  too,  is  the  health  almanack.  This 
is  a small  book  said  to  have  been  made  long  ago  by  the 
head  of  the  Taoist  priests.  It  contains  a list  of  days,  with 
directions  what  to  do  on  each  of  them  to  ward  off  the  evil 
spirits  that  inflict  diseases  upon  children. 


9 


CHAPTER  XII 


CHINESE  CLOTHES 


Many  changes  of  raiment  required — Prince  Chen — Special  clothes  for  every 
important  occasion — Chinese  clothes  are  in  many  respects  better  than 
ours — Ladies,  like  insects,  should  wear  bright  colours — Colours  not 
thought  to  kill  each  other— Official  distinctions — A mandarin’s  answer 
—Fans — Pockets — Boots  and  shoes — Hair-dressing — Ornaments  and 
paint — Dress  of  the  poor — A Chinaman’s  toilet — The  queue — Beards. 


ASHIONS  in  Chinese  clothes  change,  but,  unlike  our 


fashions,  they  last  much  longer  than  do  the  garments. 
There  are  regulations  made  by  law  and  custom  as  to  cut  and 
material  from  which  neither  man  nor  woman  ventures  to 
depart.  Every  official  must  assume  his  summer  or  winter 
costume  on  a day  specified  in  the  Peking  Gazette.  Even  if 
he  do  not  “care  a button”  himself  for  these  things  he  has 
to  wear  a particular  kind  of  button  upon  his  cap,  and  no  other. 

Rich  Chinamen  have  as  many  clothes  as  have  ladies  of 
fashion  in  the  West,  and  experience  self-respect  accordingly. 
One  of  them  related  with  pride  that  when  he  went  on  a visit 
to  a foreign  country  the  Custom  House  officers  would  not 
believe  that  his  multitudinous  garments  were  all  for  his  own 
use,  and  were  not  intended  for  sale. 

Owing  to  the  many  temperatures  of  a day  in  China  these 
changes  of  raiment  are  required.  On  a cold  winter’s  morning 
a Chinaman  puts  on  jacket  after  jacket,  sometimes  thickly 
wadded  ones,  too,  until  he  looks  like  an  old-clo’  man  or  a 


130 


131 


CHINESE  CLOTHES 

cotton  ball.  When  the  day  becomes  warm  he  takes  the  jackets 
off  according  to  taste,  and  is  found  behind  the  counter  of  his 
shop  stripped  to  the  waist  as  in  summer.  When  evening 
approaches  on  go  the  jackets,  and  ho  becomes  the  same 
dimensions  as  in  tho  morning.  A Chinaman  speaks  of  a day 
as  a “ three,  four,  or  six  coat  cold  day.”  Most  coolies  keep 
their  legs  and  feet  bare  all  the  winter.  One  of  them  when 
asked  by  an  Englishman  if  these  parts  did  not  feel  cold 
replied,  “ No  more  than  your  face.”  “ My  face  has  been 
exposed  since  I was  born,”  said  the  Britisher.  “ Me  all 
faco,”  retorted  the  Chinese. 

The  story  goes  that  at  the  coronation  of  King  Edward, 
Prince  Chen,  who  came  from  Peking,  said  to  Mr.  Chang,  the 
Chinese  Minister  in  London,  “ Why  is  it  that  you  do  not 
dress  more  richly,  and  why  do  you  not  also  provide  richer 
dresses  for  Madame  Chang,  your  wife,  and  for  the  members 
of  your  suite,  for  the  credit  of  China,  at  the  Court  of  St. 
James’s?  ” “ Prince,”  answered  Mr.  Chang,  “ my  allowance 

from  Peking  is  so  much.  I am  a poor  man.  Why  should  I, 
therefore,  dress  better  than  my  means  allow  ? ” 

There  are  special  clothes  for  every  important  occasion.  If 
a Chinaman  meet  you  on  New  Year’s  Day  in  his  ordinary 
clothes  he  will  not  salute,  but  will  apologise  and  say  that  he 
will  return  to  pay  his  respects  when  properly  attired.  “ The 
ancient  kings,”  said  the  old  books,  “ shook  their  clothes  and 
ruled  the  world,”  and  ever  since  the  question  of  clothes  has 
been  an  important  one  in  China.  After  self-adjustment  and 
purification,  Confucius  puts  careful  regulation  of  dress  in  his 
enumeration,  of  the  things  that  enable  a sovereign  to  rule 
righteously.  For  ceremonial  occasions,  well-to-do  Chinamen 
put  on  garment  after  garment  of  rich  silk,  which  prevent  any- 
thing like  rapid  movement.  Their  coats  are  so  long  that 
they  look  like  women’s  gowns,  and  the  sleeves  of  these  are 
about  a foot  longer  than  the  tips  of  the  fingers  of  those  who 
wear  them.  In  winter  they  loll  about  in  heavily-wadded,  fur- 


132  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

lined  clothes  as  if  they  were  in  bed.  And  yet  in  many 
respects  Chinese  clothes  are  handsomer  and  more  convenient 
than  are  ours.  It  is  generally  admitted  that  women,  like 
insects,  should  wear  bright  colours,  but  so  should  men,  and 
this  they  do  in  China,  and  it  adds  to  the  cheerfulness  of  life. 
Nor  are  colours  thought  to  kill  each  other.  You  see  men 
arrayed  as  fearlessly  as  parrots  in  bright  green  and  blue, 
accompanied  by  deep  scarlet,  purple,  lilac,  or  orange.  The 
dress  which  a Chinese  gentleman  most  commonly  wears  is  a 
dark  purple  silk  outer  jacket  over  a bright  blue  gown.  An 
“angelic  stork”  worked  on  the  back  and  breast  of  his  robe 
denotes  a mandarin  of  the  first  rank  ; a pheasant,  one  of  the 
second  rank  ; and  nine  other  kinds  of  birds  mark  nine  descend- 
ing degrees  of  civil  rank.  Military  grades  are  indicated  by 
embroidered  animals.  The  summer  hat  of  officials  is  made  of 
finely  woven  straw ; in  winter  it  is  trimmed  with  fur.  The 
wife  of  a mandarin  has  an  embroidered  robe  much  resembling 
that  of  her  husband.  Underneath  there  is,  on  grand  occa- 
sions, a petticoat,  also  embroidered,  which  by  means  of  wire 
is  made  to  hang  square  before  and  behind.  This  is  well  seen 
when  the  lady  is  invited  to  lay  aside  her  skirt  as  we  ask  one  to 
put  off  her  cloak.  Like  her  husband,  a mandarin’s  wife  has 
a pearl  or  bead  necklace,  the  original  of  which  is  the  eighteen 
or  one  hundred  and  eight  beads  of  the  Buddhist  rosary.  Some 
mandarins  are  very  particular  about  the  way  their  better 
halves  or,  as  they  would  say  in  China,  their  worse  halves,  are 
turned  out.  A very  high  one  was  surprised  in  the  act  of 
painting  his  wife’s  eyebrows.  He  was  sent  for  by  the 
Emperor  and  asked  if  the  report  were  true.  “ Yes,  your 
Majesty,”  he  answered ; “ but  what  is  there  frivolous  in  that? 
Is  not  everything  allowed  between  man  and  wife  ? ” The 
Son  of  Heaven  was  satisfied  with  the  reply. 

In  summer  all  Chinese  have  fans,  even  a soldier  on  active 
service,  and  a criminal  going  to  execution.  Charitable  people 
supply  them  for  nothing  to  the  poor.  There  are  masculine 


To  face  page  132. 


A Mandarin’s  Wife  in  Full  Uniform. 


133 


CHINESE  CLOTHES 

and  feminine  fans  ; the  former  folds  up  ; the  latter  is  a fixed 
fan  of  feathers  or  painted  silk,  said  by  a poetess  to  be 
peculiarly  appropriate  to  woman,  because,  like  her,  it  is  much 
sought  after  in  spring  and  summer,  but  tossed  contemptuously 
aside  in  tho  days  of  autumn.  Many  literati  do  not  buy 
pictured  fans,  but  blank  ones,  upon  which  they  get  dis- 
tinguished people  to  paint  or  write  something  as  we  do  in 
albums.  A man  of  means  carries  his  fan  in  a worked  silk 
sheath  attached  to  his  girdle,  a coolie  in  the  neck  of  his 
jacket.  Other  appendages  to  the  girdle  are  a purse,  a watch- 
case,  a snuff-box,  and  sometimes  a knife  and  a pair  of  chop- 
sticks. A boy  generally  follows,  carrying  a long  pipe  and  a 
tobacco-pouch.  Old-fashioned  Chinese  who  have  no  pockets, 
except,  perhaps,  small  ones  for  their  watches,  use  their  long, 
wide  sleeves  as  a substitute.  Instead  of  saying  that  So-and- 
so  “ pocketed  the  book,”  they  would  say  that  he  “ sleeved 
it.”  The  crown  of  an  upturned  hat  or  the  space  between  cap 
and  head  are  made  to  hold  unconsidered  trifles.  Coolies  find 
that  the  inside  of  their  ears  affords  sufficient  accommodation 
for  their  cash.  Trousers  of  the  same  bright  colour  and  rich 
material  as  their  jackets  come  down  to  the  “ lily  feet  ” of 
ladies.  Upon  these  last  hoof-like  deformities  they  wear 
beautifully  embroidered  wrapping  cloths,  and  over  these 
shoes  which  are  seldom  more  than  two  inches  long.  A 
woman  nearly  always  makes  her  own  shoes.  If  a girl’s  feet 
have  not  been  bound,  she  will  sometimes  wear  attached  to  the 
middle  of  the  sole  of  her  shoe  a clump  of  wood.  This  makes 
her  walk  in  much  the  same  way  as  if  her  feet  had  gone 
through  the  distorting  operation  of  fashion. 

The  Chinese  man’s  boot  is  a kind  of  golosh  of  cloth,  satin, 
or  other  material  (never  leather),  with  a sole  an  inch  thick, 
unyielding  at  the  instep.  Rags,  paper,  and  almost  anything 
go  to  the  composition  of  these  thick  soles.  They  have  been 
made  even  of  Bibles.  A man  sent  to  several  missionary 
societies  to  say  that  he  could  place  to  advantage  any  number 


134  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

of  Bibles  in  Chinese.  Bales  of  them  were  sent  for  the  good 
of  souls,  but  it  was  soles  that  got  them.  Missionaries  found 
them  in  the  stuffing  of  boots  and  shoes. 

You  seldom  see  women  in  a Chinese  crowd.  The  ladies  of 
the  lily  feet  must  remain  in  the  seclusion  of  their  homes,  or 
be  carried  through  the  street  in  closely  covered  chairs.  Those 
you  do  see  have  bare  heads,  their  much  greased  but  seldom 
washed  hair  being  parted  in  several  places  on  the  crown  and 
ornamented  with  artificial  flowers,  with  butterflies  made  of 
jade,  with  gold  pins,  and  with  pearls.  Each  district  has  its 
own  style.  At  Foochow,  for  instance,  the  women  are  not 
more  noticeable  for  the  silver  hoops  in  their  ears  than  they 
are  for  the  three  silver  things  like  paper-knives  that  keep 
their  back  hair  in  its  place.  The  hair  of  Manchu  matrons 
projects  on  both  sides  from  the  head  like  the  long  wings  of  a 
bat.  The  tresses  of  some  women  resemble  teapot  handles 
sticking  out  from  three  to  six  inches  behind  their  heads.  A 
gold  ornament  representing  a phoenix  is  sometimes  worn,  the 
wings  hovering  and  the  beak  of  the  bird  hanging  over  the 
forehead.  After  a certain  time  of  life  a woman  wears  a silk 
wrapper  or  embroidered  band  which  crosses  the  forehead  and 
fastens  behind  the  ears.  In  the  centre  there  is  often  a large 
pearl.  Widows  have  only  white  flowers  in  their  hair. 

Maidens  brush  their  hair  back  and  wear  it  in  a queue  like 
the  men,  or  fastened  in  a ball  on  the  side  of  their  heads. 
When  they  marry  they  comb  the  front  hair  over  the  brow  in  a 
straight  fringe  and  fasten  the  back  part  in  a roll.  When  they 
are  only  a month  old  the  heads  of  babies  are  shaved  and  a 
feast  given  to  celebrate  the  event.  On  this  occasion  master 
baby  receives  such  presents  as  head-dresses  of  different  kinds, 
and  a silver  label  to  hang  on  his  breast.  When  his  locks 
grow  they  are  again  shaved,  only  tufts  on  either  side  being 
left  that  make  him  resemble  a tadpole. 

Jade  ornaments  are  to  Chinese  women  what  diamonds  are 
to  European.  For  a pair  of  vivid  green  earrings  or  bracelets 


CHINESE  CLOTHES 


135 


as  much  as  five  or  six  hundred  pounds  will  be  paid.  Poorer 
women  have  to  content  themselves  with  imitations.  Many 
gentlemen  wear  rings  and  bracelets  of  jade  or  of  some  per- 
fumed stone. 

Chineso  ladies  put  colour  thick  upon  their  cheeks  and  lips, 
and  there  is  no  deception  about  it.  The  only  timo  rouge 
and  ghastly  white  powder  aro  dispensed  with  is  when  in 
mourning  and  on  the  day  of  marriage.  It  is  thought  that 
eyebrows  should  be  arched  like  a rainbow  or  shaped  like  a 
willow-leaf,  so  with  tweezers  ladies  remove  hairs  which 
straggle  out  of  the  required  curve  and  complete  the  delusion 
with  paint  and  charcoal. 

The  garments  of  both  sexes  of  the  poor  resemble  each  other, 
almost  the  only  difference  being  that  the  woman’s  jacket  is 
rather  longer.  They  are  generally  made  either  of  blue  cotton 
or  of  a dark  brown  material  which  looks  like  oil  silk.  The 
buttons  are  made  with  a needle  and  thread  like  those  used  in 
England  before  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

House  boys,  shopmen,  and  workers  who  in  Britain  would 
not  be  so  particular,  wear  spotlessly  white  stockings,  and  at 
their  ankles  they  fasten  very  neatly  the  ends  of  their  double 
trousers,  or  rather  of  the  long  leggings  which  they  wear  over 
trousers.  These  are  attached  to  the  girdle  at  the  waist ; 
but  there  is  a void  space  behind  that  presents  an  untidy 
appearance. 

The  large  shield-like  hats  of  coolies,  their  rain-coats  made 
of  palm -leaves,  and  their  rope  sandals  are  sensible  and 
inexpensive.  They  wear  straw  gauntlets  to  protect  their 
sleeves,  though  these  are  scarcely  worth  protecting. 

The  Chinese  have  a saying  that  “ Three-tenths  of  beauty 
is  beauty,  and  seven-tenths  is  dress,”  and  yet  even  when  they 
clothe  themselves  in  their  best  there  is  generally  something 
wanting.  A man  is  walking  in  a religious  or  other  procession 
in  gorgeous  silks  and  satins ; you  look  at  his  lower  limbs,  and 
perhaps  you  see  dirty,  shabby  pantaloons  peeping  out  from 


136  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


under  the  imposed  finery.  You  were  not  meant  to  look 
there ! 

It  is  recorded  that  Confucius  used  to  wear  a sleeping  dress 
half  as  long  again  as  his  body.  The  modern  Chinese  does 
not  imitate  him  in  this.  He  either  sleeps  in  his  day  clothes 
or,  stripping  some  of  these  off,  wraps  himself  in  a quilt  and 
pillows  his  head  upon  a small  stool  of  bamboo  or  a leather- 
covered  block  of  wood. 

In  the  morning  a Chinaman  begins  his  toilet  by  taking  a 
large  mug,  a silver  tongue-scraper,  a tooth-brush,  or  a bit  of 
willow  twig  into  the  courtyard  and  cleans  his  tongue  and 
teeth  with  much  spluttering  and  clearing  of  his  throat. 
Then  a handmaid  pours  hot  water  into  a small  copper  or  brass 
basin  resting  upon  a stand  and  brings  the  family  or  hotel  rag. 
With  this  her  master  rubs  his  face,  neck,  and  hands.  Nothing 
now  remains  to  be  done  but  to  tie  his  drawers  at  the  ankles, 
put  on  an  outward  jacket  or  long  robe,  and  hitch  himself  up 
generally. 

In  1G44,  when  the  Manchus  conquered  the  Chinese,  they 
imposed  the  towchang,  or  pig-tail,  as  a sign  of  subjection.  Of 
course  it  was  unpopular  at  first ; but  it  became  a badge  of 
honour  and  of  respectability  when  a law  was  enacted  that  no 
one  in  prison  or  who  was  guilty  of  crime  should  wear  it. 
Now,  to  call  a man  “ woo  peen,”  or  tailless,  is  to  insult  him 
greatly.  As  a punishment  the  queue  is  sometimes  cut  off  a 
malefactor.  When  he  gets  out  of  prison  he  generally  fastens 
on  a false  one.  This  is  convenient,  for  if  wanted  again  and 
caught  he  can  leave  the  loosely  fastened  appendage  in  the 
policeman’s  hand  and  escape. 

There  are  many  uses  to  which  a queue  is  put.  In  a street 
fight  the  combatants  hang  on  to  each  other’s  queues.  A 
raconteur  supplements  manual  gesture  with  his  queue.  A 
queue  is  sometimes  plied  as  a tawse  upon  the  backs  of 
refractory  boys.  It  serves  as  a noose  in  which  a suicide  can 
strangle  himself  and  a handle  for  pulling  taut  the  neck  of  a 


CHINESE  CLOTHES 


137 


man  being  decapitated.  Does  a Chinaman  wish  to  explain 
foreign  astronomy  ? He  fastens  a weight  to  the  end  of  his 
queue  and  whirls  it  round  his  head  to  illustrate  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  planets  round  the  sun.  A Chinaman  desires  his 
queue  to  be  as  long  as  possible,  and  for  this  purpose  perhaps 
ho  uses  as  much  hair,  not  his  own,  as  the  average  British 
woman  does  in  dressing  her  (?)  hair.  The  queue  is  also 
elongated  by  black  braid  or,  in  case  of  mourning,  by  white  or 
blue.  Young  boys  wear  red,  the  lucky  colour.  A well-developed 
towchang  resembles  the  tail  of  a cow  rather  than  of  a pig,  and 
is  not  ill-looking.  So  much  time,  however,  is  spent  in  its 
grooming  that  Chinese  reformers  say  that  it  is  a drain  on  the 
resources  of  the  nation,  and  ought  to  bo  abolished.  Many  of 
them  are  cutting  off  their  towchangs.  Coolies  twine  their 
queues  round  their  heads  when  at  work,  but  it  is  good  manners 
for  them  to  let  them  down  in  the  presence  of  a superior. 

The  women  of  China  were  less  obedient  to  Mauchu  man- 
dates than  were  the  men.  They  were  ordered  to  give  up  the 
custom  of  binding  the  feet  of  their  daughters,  but  they  paid  no 
attention  to  the  edict.  It  never  has  been  easy  to  get  women 
to  obey. 

Chinamen  do  not  seem  to  be  able  to  grow  hair  on  the  lip  or 
chin  as  readily  as  they  do  on  the  back  of  their  heads.  Then 
social  usage  only  allows  a man  to  have  a beard  when  he  is 
forty  years  old,  or  when  he  becomes  a grandfather.  This, 
together  with  the  Chinese  respect  for  age,  causes  any  one 
with  a long  beard  to  be  greatly  venerated.  A man  with  a 
nice  beard  puts  over  it  a bag  every  night  and  keeps  it  neat 
with  a small  comb  which  he  always  carries  with  him.  An 
Emperor  noticed  that  the  beard  of  one  of  his  ministers  was 
finer  than  his  own.  He  asked  him  what  he  did  for  it.  The 
minister  said  that  he  did  so-and-so — any  amount  of  opera- 
tions. Then  said  the  Emperor,  “ If  you  spend  so  much  time 
on  your  beard  you  have  little  time  left  for  your  duties.  I 
degrade  you.” 


CHAPTER  XIII 


HOUSES  AND  GARDENS 


The  height  of  impertinence — A patriarchal  encampment — In  harmony  with 
surroundings — Inside  a house — No  concealment — Houses  as  uncom- 
fortable morally  as  they  are  physically — Chang  Rung — Chinese  inns — 
House-boats — The  Yamen — No  repairs — A potter’s  field — Landscape 
gardening — The  flower  hermit — Floral  calendars. 


T is  thought  the  height  of  impertinence  for  a Chinese  to 


live  in  a house  higher  than  the  wall  of  the  town  in  which 
the  house  is  situated.  Even  official  and  rich  people  are 
content  with  one-storied  dwellings.  When  for  family  and 
other  reasons  they  wish  to  extend,  they  add  courtyard  to 
courtyard  until  there  is  a patriarchal  encampment.  Pictures 
of  European  houses  of  four  and  five  stories  surprise  the 
Celestials.  They  wonder  if  it  is  the  smallness  of  our  country 
that  compels  us  to  build  so  high. 

Retired  officials  and  other  well-to-do  people  generally 
reside  in  or  near  towns  for  protection.  And  they  are  careful 
not  to  display  wealth  upon  their  houses  lest  it  should  he 
taken  from  them.  They  know  that  “ the  elephant  is  killed 
on  account  of  his  ivory.”  A man  with  a reputation  for  riches 
might  be  asked,  for  instance,  to  pay  a tax  on  the  land  he 
bought  during  the  year.  “ I bought  no  land.”  “ Well,  but 
you  might  or  should  have  done  so ; therefore  pay  up.” 

But  though  the  houses  of  the  wealthy  arc  not  show)7,  they 
are  always  in  harmony  with  their  surroundings.  A China- 


138 


HOUSES  AND  GARDENS  139 

man  understands  the  fitness  of  things,  and  would  not  build  a 
house  that  would  offend  or  degrade  public  taste.  It  must  be 
good  to  look  at. 

A tent  type  of  architecture  prevails  everywhere  in  temple, 
in  palace,  and  in  private  life.  The  tiled  roofs  often  assume 
beautiful  curves,  and  the  corners  are  ornamented  with  dragons 
and  other  grotesque  figures.  Windows  only  look  into  court- 
yards which  are  ranged  one  behind  another.  Until  lately, 
when  glass  is  beginning  to  be  used,  the  windows  were  always 
filled  with  paper  or  ground  oyster-shells  which  overlap  each 
other.  A high  wall  surrounds  every  mansion,  in  order  to 
secure  it  from  fire  and  robbers. 

The  entrance  to  this  class  of  house  is  by  a triple  gate 
leading  through  a garden.  Under  the  projecting  eaves  hang 
paper  lanterns  having  on  them  the  name  and  titles  of  the 
householder  and  perhaps  those  of  some  of  his  ancestors. 
These  names  and  titles  are  also  inscribed  in  gilt  letters  upon 
red  boards.  The  sides  of  the  colonnades  are  embellished 
with  quotations  on  red  paper.  Door  bells  are  unknown  in 
the  interior  of  China.  You  shout  “ Lai”  (“  Come  here”), 
and  the  porter  opens  the  large  middle  door  or  a side  one, 
according  to  your  social  position. 

The  doors  face  to  the  south  and  south-west,  to  catch  the 
summer  breeze  and  the  winter  sun.  Passing  through  an 
outer  portico  or  hall,  which  consists  of  pillars  and  an 
ornamental  roof,  you  enter  the  reception  hall.  In  the  centre 
of  this,  chairs  with  straight  backs  are  arranged,  with  small 
tables  between  each  pair.  Near  the  chairs  are  placed  deep 
spittoons,  which  are  rendered  necessary  by  the  universal  habit 
of  smoking.  The  reception  hall  generally  looks  on  to  a 
courtyard  filled  with  orange,  camelia,  or  azalea  trees,  growing 
in  large  pots  placed  upon  stone  pedestals. 

The  front  courtyard  of  a grand  house  is  open  to  any  one 
who  may  choose  to  wander  in ; a desire  to  exclude  strangers 
would  be  held  to  argue  that  there  was  something  wrong  going 


140  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


on  which  the  owner  wished  to  conceal.  The  guest-room  has 
only  three  walls,  the  whole  of  the  front  being  open  to  the 
court.  It  was  this  Eastern  arrangement  which  enabled  the 
“woman  who  was  a sinner”  and  the  others  to  approach  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  He  “ sat  at  meat.” 

To  the  right  and  left  of  the  reception  hall  there  are  with- 
drawing and  dining-rooms.  Beautiful  scrolls  having  on  them 
felicitous  words,  rich  hangings,  and  long  shaped  pictures  of 
historical  scenes  adorn  the  walls.  The  floors  are  of  mud, 
wood,  or  tiling,  with  no  rugs  or  carpets  upon  them.  In  the 
drawing-room  may  often  be  seen  a gilt  and  carved  box.  This 
contains  the  patents  of  nobility  or  commissions  to  offices 
held  by  the  proprietor.  The  Chinese  are  fond  of  collecting 
old  and  curious  things,  and  tlm  cabinets  of  many  rich 
individuals  at  Peking  and  Canton  are  worth  seeing. 
Europeans  may  fancy  that  they  pick  up  bargains  at  these 
places,  but  they  only  get  rubbish  which  Chinese  collectors 
have  refused. 

Porcelain  vases  and  copper  tripods  are  everywhere. 
Bouquets  of  flowers  are  considered  vulgar,  but  single 
specimens  which  are  meant  to  be  separately  enjoyed  adorn 
parts  of  rooms. 

The  doorways  that  lead  from  one  part  of  a house  to  another 
are  often  circular  or  in  the  shape  of  a leaf.  When  doors  are 
not  necessary  these  fancy-shaped  openings  are  covered  with 
silk  or  cloth  hangings  or  with  bamboo  blinds. 

The  bedrooms  are  more  sanitary  than  ours  aro  because 
they  contain  less  furniture.  More  attention,  however,  is  paid 
to  the  carving  of  the  beds  than  to  their  comfort.  But  it  is 
not  only  the  furniture  that  is  carved.  Wood  carving  adorns 
the  cornices  of  the  rooms  and  the  pillars  of  the  doorways. 
There  are  no  ceilings  in  the  rooms,  only  rafters. 

In  nearly  every  house  there  are  three  small  shrines,  above 
or  before  which  stand  candlesticks  made  of  pewter,  flower- 
vases,  and  incense-burners.  At  the  threshold  is  one,  perhaps, 


HOUSES  AND  GARDENS  141 

to  the  Eartli  Gods,  before  which  at  evening  time  red  tapers 
and  incense-sticks  are  burned.  Then  within,  generally  in 
the  reception  hall,  stand  the  Ancestral  Tablets  and  the  altar 
of  the  Kitchen  God  with  an  ever-burning  light  beforo  them. 
And  of  course  thero  is  an  image  or  picture  of  the  God  of 
Wealth,  for  that  in  China,  as  also  perhaps  in  England,  is  the 
best  served  of  all  gods. 

In  the  absence  of  artificial  means  for  heating  their  rooms, 
the  Chinese  frequently  carry  with  them  a little  stove.  In  the 
north  of  China  whole  families  sleep  together  during  the 
winter  upon  a heated  platform  called  a “kang.”  The  warmth 
of  this  kang  is  said  to  comfort  “ like  a mother,”  but  it  must 
be  as  irritating  as  a step-mother  also,  for  it  nearly  always 
contains  a multitude  of  tiny  monsters  to  which  the  Chineso 
are  too  much  accustomed  to  complain. 

Kerosine  has  “caught  on  ” in  China  more,  perhaps,  than 
any  other  foreign  novelty,  but  oil  made  of  beans,  cotton-seed, 
and  peanuts  is  still  used.  It  has  little  more  illuminating 
power  than  to  make  the  darkness  of  the  houses  at  night 
visible.  One  advantage  is  that  the  good  old  fashion  of  going 
to  bed  when  it  is  dark  continues. 

We  have  never  seen  a dwelling  belonging  to  the  poorer 
class  of  people  that  could  be  truthfully  described  as  a “ neat 
cottage.”  There  is  a place  for  everything,  certainly,  for 
things  which  with  us  would  be  in  outhouses  are  kept  in  the 
houses  themselves,  but  as  certainly  everything  is  not  in  its 
place.  Rather,  beds,  benches,  and  tables  may  be  seen  mixed 
up  with  weaving-looms,  spinning-wheels,  jars  of  grain,  farm- 
ing implements,  and  other  things  that  we  do  not  expect  to 
find  in  a bedroom  or  sitting-room.  Probably  people  like  to 
personally  watch  their  things,  for  where  walls  are  made  of 
adobe  or  mud  it  is  easy  for  thieves  to  dig  through  and  steal. 
Nor  can  property-owmers  have  much  confidence  in  the  locks 
and  primitive  method  of  chaining  doors  that  are  in  use. 

In  Chinese  poorer  dwellings  there  are  no  chimneys,  or  only 


142  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

very  small  ones,  and  the  stalks  and  grass  which  heat  the 
cooking-boiler  (the  “ grass  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is 
cast  into  the  oven  ”)  make  much  disagreeable  smoke.  The 
benches  that  serve  for  chairs  are  uncomfortably  narrow.  A 
mat  laid  on  a couple  of  boards  or  on  a rattan  frame,  and  a 
mosquito  curtain  of  hempen  cloth,  constitute  a bed. 

From  an  Occidental  point  of  view,  Chinese  houses  are 
models  of  discomfort.  They  are  cold  in  winter,  hot  in 
summer,  and  smoky  all  the  year  round.  Everywhere  there 
are  draughts.  The  doors  with  double  leaves  are  a bad 
protection,  even  if  they  were  kept  shut,  but  they  never  are. 
It  would  be  a falsehood  if  a man  in  China  put  on  his  office 
door  the  words  “ Everybody  closes  the  door  but  you.”  Small 
houses  have  no  windows,  or  only  paper  ones,  which  will  not 
keep  out  wind,  rain,  sun,  heat,  or  dust. 

When  foreigners  experience  the  discomforts  of  Chinese 
abodes,  they  say  that  the  people  who  live  in  them  are  not 
civilised.  This,  however,  is,  as  the  author  of  “ Chinese  Charac- 
teristics ” says,  to  confound  comfort  with  civilisation.  The 
England  of  Shakespeare  and  Elizabeth  was  civilised,  but  it 
was  not  comfortable,  judged  by  a twentieth-century  standard. 

Many  houses,  too,  are  as  uncomfortable  morally  as  they 
are  physically. 

“ Two  eats  and  one  mouse, 

Two  women  in  one  house, 

Two  dogs  to  one  bone, 

Will  not  agree  long.” 

This  is  as  true  in  China  as  in  other  countries,  and  it  is  the 
rule  in  China  for  two  or  three  generations  of  women  to  live  in 
one  house.  No  wonder  that  the  Chinese  have  deified  Chang 
Kung  under  the  title  of  Kitchen  God.  This  worthy  lived  in 
the  eighth  century  of  our  era,  and  had  his  family  in  such 
good  order  that  with  eight  generations  they  simultaneously 
inhabited  the  same  courts  in  perfect  peace.  Even  his  hundred 


HOUSES  AND  GARDENS  143 

dogs  were  so  polito  that  they  waited,  if  any  one  of  them  was 
late  at  a meal.  The  reigning  Emperor  sent  for  Chang  Rung, 
to  inquire  the  secret  of  such  wonderful  harmony,  and  calling 
for  a pen,  he  wroto  the  character  for  “ Forbearance  ” a great 
number  of  times. 

In  a household  it  is  always  the  oldest  father  who  rules,  a 
custom  which  alone  would  account  for  the  great  conservatism 
of  China. 

Though  Chinese  inns  aro  called  “ Heavenly  Union,” 
“ Unapproachable  Purity,”  “ The  Nourishment  of  Life,”  and 
other  much-promising  names,  they  resound  with  hellish 
quarrelling,  they  are  too  filthy  to  approach,  and  the  only  life 
they  nourish  is  that  of  vermin.  In  the  little  sleeping  rooms 
there  is  probably  no  window,  and  certainly  no  furniture  except 
a rickety  table,  a narrow  bench,  and  a brick-lined  ledge  on 
which  to  put  the  bed  you  are  supposed  to  bring  along  with 
any  food  you  may  require.  In  the  room  below,  or  alongside, 
pigs  or  goats  are  very  likely  to  be  the  occupants. 

One  reason  why  these  places  are  not  more  inviting  is 
because  well-to-do  Chinese  do  not  use  them.  Mandarins 
travel  in  house-boats  on  the  many  and  extensive  waterways 
of  the  empire.  House-boats  are  slow  coaches,  but  then  the 
Chinese  have  not  our  insane  love  of  speed.  There  is  a 
movable  sitting-room  and  two  or  three  sleeping  cabins  in  the 
centre  of  the  boat.  Cooking  is  done  upon  the  high  over- 
hanging stern,  where  the  crew  is  also  accommodated.  There 
are  gangways  on  each  side  on  which  walk  the  men  who  pole 
the  vessel  in  the  shallows,  and  the  servants  when  they  have 
occasion  to  pass  from  one  part  to  another.  Parts  of  the  boat 
are  beautifully  carved,  varnished,  and  gilded.  The  windows 
are  made  of  glass,  thin  oyster-shells,  transparent  paper,  or 
gauze.  For  the  mat  sails  used  in  junks  canvas  ones  are  often 
substituted. 

The  fare  (called  “water-legs  ”)  on  Chinese  passenger  boats 
is  only  about  a penny  of  our  money  for  thirty  or  forty  miles. 


144  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

To  spend  time  in  them  must  be  cheaper  than  to  pay  house- 
rent. 

The  yamen  (literally  “ official  gate  ”)  of  a mandarin  is  his 
combined  private  and  official  residence.  It  is  generally  a 
mixture  of  grandeur  and  meanness.  The  roofs  and  walls  are 
red,  the  colour  that  distinguishes  Government  buildings.  Under 
the  cover  of  the  porch  of  the  entrance  gate  is  kept  the  official 
chair,  and  near  it  the  lanterns,  tablets,  execution  swords,  and 
umbrellas  that  are  carried  in  procession  when  the  great  man 
goes  out.  Over  the  entrance  door  and  over  each  successive 
door  as  you  proceed  inwards  are  hung  red  lanterns.  If  the 
mandarin  be  of  high  rank  there  will  be  three  or  four  great 
gateways  to  separate  him  from  the  vulgar  herd.  The  gates 
are  generally  of  thick  wood,  and  upon  them  are  painted 
grotesque  door  gods,  or  celebrated  officials  of  heroic  size  and 
intimidating  features.  Each  gate  has  a central  part  and  two 
leaves.  The  former  is  only  used  by  the  mandarin  himself, 
his  equals  and  superiors. 

In  the  centre  are  the  private  rooms  of  the  official,  of  his 
wife,  and  of  his  concubines  ; then  come  the  offices  of  his 
secretaries,  the  wTaiting-rooms,  and  a court  or  reception-room. 
Around  the  yard  are  the  buildings  where  servants  and 
“runners”  live. 

The  Chinese  spend  much  money  in  building  their  houses 
and  temples,  but  they  seem  to  begrudge  wffiat  is  necessary  to 
keep  them  in  repair.  Eaves  and  corners  filled  with  expensive 
gods,  holy  men,  emperors,  and  devils ; scenes  from  the  life  of 
Buddha  in  five-coloured  porcelain  covering  some  of  the  walls  ; 
corners  in  heaven  and  peeps  into  hell ; heroic  sized  gods 
looking  like  the  giant  in  Jack-and-tlie-Beanstalk  and  grin- 
ning from  either  side  of  the  entrance — these  carved  things  are 
in  the  rich  man’s  dwelling,  the  yamen,  or  the  temple,  but 
the  place  they  adorn  is  a magnificent  ruin  which  is  seldom  or 
never  repaired.  Rock-work  and  summer-house  fall  to  pieces. 
That  expensively  made  pond  in  the  garden  might  be  beautiful 


Reception  Room  in  a Yamk.x. 


HOUSES  AND  GARDENS  145 

if  it  did  not  contain  so  many  dead  cats  and  dogs  and  were 
not  covered  so  thickly  with  oily  green  slime. 

No  garden  in  China  looks  at  first  glance  better  than  a 
potter’s  field.  The  plants  are  put  in  glazed  and  ornamented 
pots,  arranged  in  rows  along  the  walks,  but  not  planted  out  as 
in  our  gardens.  Soon,  however,  you  come  upon  pretty  bits  of 
trellis-work  and  zigzag  bridges  leading  to  grottoes  with 
horseshoe  doors.  Grotesquo  figures  are  produced  by  training 
certain  shrubs  over  a framework  of  wire,  so  as  exactly  to  take 
its  form.  Evergreen  dragons,  dolphins  with  great  eyes  of 
china,  and  mandarins  with  china  or  wooden  hands,  head,  and 
feet  are  the  forms  most  generally  to  be  seen.  Shrubs  are 
made  to  take  the  shape  of  birds,  fans,  junks,  bridges,  houses, 
and  flower-baskets,  tall  evergreen  pagodas  are  adorned  with 
little  china  bells  hanging  round  each  storey.  There  arc 
always  many  distorted  and  dwarfed  trees.  These  miniatures 
have  every  characteristic  of  the  full-grown — indeed,  of  the 
aged  tree — with  gnarled  and  twisted  roots  and  branches, 
although  they  are  only  a few  inches  high.  Rock-work  and 
summer-houses,  the  last  erected  on  artificial  islands,  are 
features  in  most  gardens.  The  visitor  is  impressed  with  dark 
caves  and  rushing  cataracts,  his  gloom  being  increased  by 
the  trunks  of  trees  blasted  as  if  by  lightning  and  the  intro- 
duction of  a house  thrown  down  by  the  fury  of  a pretended 
tempest.  Then  there  is  a sudden  transition,  and  we  see  only 
what  is  calculated  to  charm  wTith  brilliant  colour  and  beautiful 
form. 

In  most  gardens  there  are  tanks  for  goldfish  and  a pond 
which  is  beautiful  with  the  flowers  of  the  famous  lotus  lily. 
This  plant,  rising  as  it  does  from  mud,  is  emblematic  of 
Buddha  being  evolved  from  lower  stages  of  existence.  So 
sacred  is  the  lotus  that  the  frugal  Chinese  waste  nothing 
of  it.  They  delight  their  eyes  with  its  flowers  and  their 
stomachs  with  its  seeds  and  roots.  The  leaves  are  dried 
and  sold  to  tradesmen  to  'wrap  purchases  in. 

10 


146  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


In  1783,  Ch’en  Hao-tzu,  who  called  himself  the  “ Flower 
Hermit,”  wrote  a work  on  gardening  entitled  “ The  Mirror 
of  Flowers.”  From  a translation  of  the  preface  we  quote  the 
following : “ From  my  youth  upwards  I have  cared  for 
nothing  but  books  and  flowers.  Twenty-eight  thousand  days 
have  passed  over  my  head,  the  greater  part  of  which  has 
been  spent  in  poring  over  old  records  and  the  remainder 
in  enjoying  myself  in  my  garden  among  plants  and  birds. 
People  laugh  at  me,  and  say  that  I am  cracked  on  flowers  and 
a bibliomaniac  ; but  surely  study  is  the  proper  occupation 
of  a literary  man,  and  as  for  gardening,  that  is  a rest  for 
my  brain  and  an  antidote  against  the  ills  of  old  age.  ...  If 
a home  has  not  a garden  and  an  old  tree,  I see  not  whence 
the  every-day  joys  of  life  are  to  come.” 

We  have  quoted  this  Chinese  White  of  Selborne,  because 
he  expresses  sentiments  about  a garden  which  are  shared 
by  nearly  every  one  of  his  countrymen  who  have  had  the 
advantage  of  culture. 

The  flowering  of  favourite  plants  and  trees  is  watched  for 
eagerly.  Floral  calendars  are  found  in  every  house  above 
the  poorest,  and  excursions  are  made  into  the  country,  not 
to  drink  at  a public-house  or  to  kill  something,  but  to  enjoy 
roses,  peonies,  azaleas,  camellias,  chrysanthemums,  and 
other  flowering  delights. 

The  object  of  the  owners  of  Chinese  gardens  is  to  imitate 
the  beauties  and  to  reproduce  the  inequalities  of  Nature.  By 
grouping  rock-work,  by  making  artificial  hills,  and  by 
bridging  over  streams  they  produce  a panorama  full  of  sur- 
prises and  fresh  points  of  view. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


SERVANTS  AND  LABOURERS 


Why  do  we  call  a male  servant  “ boy  ”? — Chinese  servants  conservative — 
In  chronic  indecision — Dirty  cooks — Ingenious  ones — Zeal  without 
knowledge — Wages — To  bury  a father  or  catchee  a wife — Peculations 
limited — Faithful  servants — Never  surprised — Pidgin  English — Best 
servants  in  the  north — Thought-readers — Cheap  labour — Not  ashamed 
of  poor  relations — A human  hen — “ The  Amah  Brigade  ” — Co-operation 
— Pull-man-cars — The  16th  Lancers. 

HY  do  we  call  a male  servant  in  the  Far  East  “ boy  ” 


regardless  of  his  age  ? The  reason  is  said  to  be  that 
when  Europeans  first  went  to  India  one  caste,  called  Boyee,  or 
Bhoi,  were  found  willing  to  undertake  menial  duties. 

We  have  all  heard  of  the  Chinese  cook  who  used  to  break 
an  egg  and  throw  it  away  each  time  he  made  a pudding 
because  on  the  first  occasion  when  he  was  shown  how 
to  make  a pudding  an  egg  happened  to  be  bad. 

Chinese  servants,  like  the  rest  of  the  nation,  are  very 
conservative,  and  when  once  you  get  them  to  do  what  you 
want  they  go  on  in  a comfortable  groove.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, this  stereotyped  way  of  w’orking  is  not  convenient,  as  I 
found  when  crossing  the  Pacific.  Sea-sickness  prevented 
my  appearance  at  the  table-d’hote  dinner  on  the  first  day, 
and  on  the  second  when  I did  come  I partook  of  scarcely 
anything.  On  recovering  my  appetite  it  was  difficult  to 
get  from  the  boy  who  waited  upon  me  more  than  I had  taken 
the  first  day.  And  yet  one  could  not  be  angry  with  those 


147 


148  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


picturesque  Chinese  who  served  so  deftly,  and  moved  about 
as  noiselessly  as  ghosts  in  their  long,  white  gowns. 

A lady  offered  her  laundry-man  a dollar  a month  extra 
if  he  would  sprinkle  her  clothes  with  his  hand  instead  of  with 
his  mouth.  He  accepted  the  dollar  gladly,  but  continued 
his  good  old  way.  This  is  an  illustration  of  the  fact  that 
stubbornness  often  coexists  with  much  faithfulness  in 
Chinese  servants.  Of  one  such  his  master  used  to  say 
that  he  was  in  a condition  of  chronic  indecision  whether  to 
kill  him  or  raise  his  wages. 

It  is  better  for  the  peace  of  mind,  and  even  of  the  stomach, 
of  householders  not  to  go  much  into  their  kitchens  in  China. 
One  mistress  confided  to  a friend  whom  she  met  in  the 
Peak  tramcar  at  Hong  Kong  that  she  had  seen  her  cook, 
stripped  to  the  waist,  rolling  with  a rolling-pin  a cake  or 
pie  on  his  bare  chest ! 

Certainly  the  way  a market  coolie  carries  food  for  his 
master  at  Hong  Kong  is  anything  but  appetising.  In  one 
hand  there  will  be  a live  fowl,  a bit  of  bacon,  and  a beef- 
steak ; in  the  other,  dried  fish,  a pigeon,  and  mutton  cutlets 
tied  up  without  any  covering.  It  is  worse  if  he  puts  the 
dinner  in  a basket,  because  then  he  sticks  all  kind  of  heathen 
messes  of  his  own  alongside  of  it. 

A lady  who  understands  Chinese  well  told  me  that  she 
once  overheard  her  cook  saying  to  a messenger  boy,  “ Now, 
remember,  you  can  only  have  it  half  an  hour,  and  must 
then  bring  it  back,  because  missus  says  it  is  to  be  given 
to  the  dogs.”  Inquiring  from  the  messenger  what  he  was 
carrying,  the  lady  discovered  that  it  was  soup  meat,  which, 
after  making  soup  for  her  own  household,  was  being  lent  for 
the  same  purpose  to  the  cook  of  a neighbouring  house. 

Another  friend  was  much  pleased  with  her  house-boy  until 
one  day  she  caught  him  brushing  his  hair  with  one  of  her 
ivory-backed  brushes. 

A cook  when  too  much  found  fault  with  will  take  his 


SERVANTS  AND  LABOURERS  149 


revenge  by  expectorating  into  the  soup.  On  tho  other 
hand,  if  you  treat  cook  well  ho  will  get  you  out  of  many  a 
difficulty.  Should  there  be  a brace  of  snipe  or  of  quail  too 
little,  ho  will  make  two  birds  of  flour  for  master  and  mistress. 

It  is  quite  wonderful  how  your  number  one  boy  writes  out 
the  menus  considering  his  small  supply  of  English.  Of 
course  he  puts  “bold  beef”  instead  of  “cold  beef”  and 
“ stewed  Irish  ” instead  of  “ Irish  stew,”  but  he  will  do  his 
best  to  spare  tho  feelings  of  your  guests.  One  house-boy 
was  much  embarrassed,  for  the  principal  dish  at  breakfast 
was  to  be  devilled  turkey.  “ Devil  very  bad  word,”  he  said 
to  himself;  “how  can  write?”  The  dish  appeared  as 
“ D d turkey.” 

Knowledge,  however,  does  not  always  go  with  zeal.  People 
are  proud  of  the  number  of  foreign  labels  on  their  trunks  and 
valises.  A friend  of  mine  had  a cabin  trunk  of  which  he 
was  especially  proud.  He  invariably  showed  it  to  his  friends 
as  one  of  his  treasures.  It  was  covered  all  over  with  labels. 
One  evening,  on  going  home,  his  boy  met  him  with  smiling 
face,  and,  obviously  expectant  of  “ cumsha  ” for  his  unusual 
diligence,  informed  the  master  that  he  had  “ makum  clean 
that  ole  bag  ! ” The  boy  had  carefully  scraped  the  port- 
manteau clean  of  every  scrap  of  paper,  and  he  could  not 
comprehend  wrhy  the  owner  swore. 

There  is  almost  as  much  division  of  labour  in  a household 
in  China  as  in  India — a servant  for  each  department,  and 
one  or  two  with  no  work  in  particular  and  two  or  three  to 
help  them  to  do  it.  Then  no  Chinaman  is  so  poor  but 
what  he  can  find  a poorer  to  do  part  of  his  work.  A coolie 
earning  six  dollars  a month  will  pay  another  one  dollar  a 
month  to  help  him,  and  he  in  turn  will  give  a lad  a few 
cash  that  he  himself  may  have  more  leisure  for  his  opium 
pipe.  Fortunately  the  wages  are  low  as  compared  with  the 
West,  but  foreigners  in  the  treaty  ports  have  to  give  more 
than  double  what  native  employers  in  the  interior  give. 


150  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


A Chinese  servant  is  continually  asking  to  go  and  bury 
his  father.  He  has  two  or  three  fathers  wanting  interment 
every  year.  Servants  will  decamp  bag  and  baggage,  some 
of  it  yours,  without  any  warning.  True,  the  departing  one 
leaves  a substitute,  but  the  substitute  is  nearly  always  an 
inferior  article,  and  will  soon  go,  leaving  a still  worse  one. 
So  you  may  begin  housekeeping  with  a stock  of  good  servants, 
and  find  at  length  that  your  house  has  become  a den  of 
thieves  and  idlers.  A house-boy  in  the  employment  of  a 
family  in  Hong  Kong  announced  that  he  wanted  two  or  three 
weeks’  leave  to  go  to  Canton  to  “ catchee  his  wife.”  He 
brought  another  boy  to  take  his  place.  Interviewed  by  the 
lady  of  the  house,  the  substitute  said  he  had  another  pidgin, 
but  had  two  weeks’  leave  and  could  take  the  place  of  his 
“ fiend  ” for  that  time.  He  did  not  appear  to  know  much 
about  housework,  and  the  lady  asked  him  if  his  master  was 
a Chinaman.  With  all  the  dignity  imaginable  he  replied, 
“ No  ! my  master  belong  King  of  England,  and  Emperor 
of  Great  Britain  ; me  Government  servant-boy ! ” 

Servants  are  supposed  to  feed  themselves  and,  as  they 
profess  to  despise  our  food,  they  of  course  do  not  eat  it.  And 
yet  it  goes,  even  the  cheese  which  they  say  is  disgusting. 
It  may  be  that  our  eggs  are  not  taken,  for  some  Chinese 
do  not  care  for  these  unless  a hen  has  sat  on  them  for  about 
twelve  days. 

One  Chinese  servant  will  ask  another  a question  which 
is,  when  literally  translated,  “ Do  you  eat  your  master  or 
eat  yourself?  ” The  meaning  is,  “Does  your  master  feed 
you,  or  do  you  board  yourself?  ” 

I have  known  honest  Chinese  servants,  one  in  particular, 
who  returned  after  several  years  and  gave  to  his  master 
money  he  owed.  And  even  those  who  are  no  more  honest 
than  the  rest  of  us  will  not  allow  any  one  but  themselves  to 
steal  from  their  masters.  There  is  honour,  too,  amongst 
these  thieves,  and  they  limit  their  peculations  by  certain 


SERVANTS  AND  LABOURERS  151 

clearly  defined  restraints.  A house-boy  will  say,  for  instance, 
“ Five  per  cent,  business,  ten  per  cent,  thief  pidgin.”  From 
prince  to  pauper,  however,  the  squeeze  system  prevails  in 
China,  and  in  this  respect  servants  only  follow  their  masters. 
The  servants  in  a large  establishment,  official  or  domestic, 
sometimes  form  themselves  into  a company  for  business 
purposes.  Each  in  his  particular  “ pidgin  ” or  line  of 
business  secures  a percentage  upon  all  sales,  purchases  or 
other  financial  transactions.  The  proceeds  are  placed  in 
a common  fund,  and  dividends  declared  at  stated  times 
to  each  according  to  his  rank  and  work.  Nor  is  such  a 
combination  as  criminal  as  it  seems,  for  it  is  known  and 
understood,  and  to  some  extent  is  regarded  as  compensation 
for  the  low  wages  that  are  given. 

We  used  to  give  the  wages  of  the  coolies  who  earned 
us  in  chairs  to  the  house-boy  to  pay  them,  until  we  dis- 
covered that  he  deducted  a squeeze  out  of  it.  When  remon- 
strated with  he  said  that  the  chair  coolies  would  have  had 
no  respect  for  him  if  he  had  not  done  it.  Number  one  boy, 
as  a rule,  engages,  pays,  and  dismisses  the  other  servants, 
and  it  is  best  for  your  own  peace  and  for  that  of  the  house- 
hold not  to  interfere. 

“ What  are  servants  coming  to  ? ” growled  a Hong  Kong 
friend  to  me.  “ Only  this  morning  my  gardener  said,  * I no 
stay  with  you ; you  too  cheeky  a master.’  ” 

Are  Chinese  servants  always  ungrateful  ? Our  experience 
says  “ No,”  and  also  that  those  who  most  loudly  speak  of 
ingratitude  are  owed  nothing. 

So  good  an  authority  as  Rev.  G.  H.  Smith  thus  writes  in 
“China  in  Convulsion”  of  the  faithfulness  of  some  of  the 
servants  of  murdered  missionaries:  “In  repeated  instances, 
servants  who  have  been  sent  away  for  their  ora  safety 
returned  on  the  eve  of  a riot,  saying  simply : ‘ I heard  that 
you  were  to  be  attacked  to-night,  and  I thought  that  I ought 
to  be  here  to  help  you.’  Many  of  them  voluntarily  served  as 


152  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

couriers  at  the  imminent  risk  of  their  lives,  not  once  or 
twice,  but  constantly,  and  in  this  way  many  were  killed.” 

If  I said  that  I knew  one  Chinese  servant  who  practised  the 
fine  art  of  telling  truth,  readers  who  have  lived  in  China  would 
think  that  I was  a poor  artist  in  this  line  myself.  We  are 
liars  ourselves,  but  we  think  that  the  Chinese  are  greater  ones 
because  they  lie  from  different  motives.  Their  mendacity 
shocks  us  because  it  is  not  the  same  kind  as  our  own. 

It  is  a common  experience  in  China  to  have  a servant 
several  years  and  never  once  to  have  seen  him  out  of  temper. 
One  reason  is  that  the  servants  despise  their  employers  too 
much  to  be  provoked  by  them.  They  do  not  show  surprise  at 
anything  masters  and  mistresses  do. 

“Of  all  people,”  said  Confucius,  “girls  and  servants  are 
the  most  difficult  to  behave  to.  If  you  are  familiar  to  them, 
they  lose  their  humility ; if  you  maintain  your  reserve,  they 
are  discontented.”  So  there  was  a “ servant  question  ” in 
China  even  in  the  time  of  Confucius,  and  there  is  one  now, 
but  it  is  much  more  easily  answered  in  the  Celestial  Empire 
than  it  is  in  England.  What  would  not  the  perplexed  British 
matron  give  for  service  as  clean,  clever,  and  silent  as  that  per- 
formed by  Chinese  boys  ? Sometimes  they  do  wThat  we  do  not 
want  done,  and  leave  undone  what  we  do  want,  but  as  a rule 
their  instincts  guide  them  right.  Number  one  boy  arranges 
the  meals  after  a little  talk  with  his  mistress.  Should  un- 
expected guests  come,  he  is  equal  to  the  occasion.  There  is 
no  danger  of  his  forgetting  to  send  the  coolies  to  market,  for 
he  gets  his  “squeeze”  on  each  article  purchased.  He  will 
then,  turning  himself  into  a parlourmaid,  lay  the  table  and 
arrange  the  flowers.  The  house-boy  will  look  after  master’s 
clothes  so  well  that  master  will  never  know  where  he  has  put 
them,  but  the  boy  knows,  and  can  always  produce  them.  The 
sleek-headed  amahs,  with  big  jade  earrings  and  baggy  trousers, 
are  fond  of  and  kind  to  the  children  committed  to  their  care. 
So,  too,  are  the  coolies  who  carry  the  children’s  milk-bottles  or 


Chair  Coolies  and  Market  Coolie. 


SERVANTS  AND  LABOURERS  153 


push  their  perambulators.  It  is  a mistake,  however,  to  allow 
children  to  be  much  with  Chinese  servants,  for  the  habitual 
talk  of  these  people  is  filthy,  anil  children  learn  enough 
Chinese  language  to  understand  them. 

It  is  a pity  that  when  British  people  came  first  to  China 
they  did  not  teach  servants  pure  English  instead  of  the 
ridiculous  thing  called  “ pidgin  English.”  New-comers  think 
that  they  can  learn  this  in  a few  days,  and  that  it  consists  only 
in  putting  double  “ e ” to  the  end  of  words,  and  using  mongrel 
terms  such  as  “chow”  for  food,  “chop-chop”  for  imme- 
diately, and  so  on.  At  a boarding-house  in  Hong  Kong  I 
heard  a lady  who  had  lately  arrived  saying  to  a servant,  “ Boy, 
catchee  me  onepiecee  saltee  chop-chop.”  So  I could  not  help 
remarking,  “ You  would  be  just  as  intelligible  and  more  re- 
spected if  you  only  said,  ‘ Salt,  please.’  ” The  chair  coolies 
have  now  learned  this  wretched  jargon,  and  so  if  you  want  to 
be  carried,  for  instance,  to  the  house  of  the  Bishop  of  Hong 
Kong,  you  must  order  them  to  go  to  “ No.  1 Topside  Joss 
Pidgin.”  Educated  Chinese,  however,  resent  it  as  an  im- 
pertinence to  be  spoken  to  in  an  infantine  strain.  One 
of  these  replied  to  a globe-trotter,  “ I understand  Chinese, 
French,  German,  Italian,  and  English,  but  I have  forgotten 
the  language  of  childhood,  so  please  do  not  address  me  in 
that.” 

It  is  in  the  north  of  China,  however,  that  one  experiences 
the  comfort  of  really  good  service.  At  Peking  and  Shanghai 
the  servants  seemed  to  me  to  be  thought-readers,  anticipating 
every  want  before  it  was  expressed.  At  the  latter  place  I 
stayed  for  some  days  in  a house  from  which  the  master  and 
mistress  and  every  European  were  absent.  None  of  the 
servants  could  understand  a word  of  English,  and  I could  not 
speak  their  language,  yet  I had  everything  I wanted  to  eat, 
and  everything  I wished  done  as  soon  as  I thought  of  it. 

Every  visitor  to  Japan  notices  the  cheerful  industry  of  the 
people.  The  industry  of  the  Chinese  may  not  be  so  cheerful, 


154  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

but  they  are  “ all  at  it,  and  always  at  it,”  and  indeed  must  be, 
for,  as  their  proverb  says,  “ to  stop  the  hand  is  the  way  to  stop 
the  mouth.” 

In  many  parts  of  China  an  ordinary  labourer  can  be  hired 
for  from  ten  to  sixteen  cents  (2Jd.  to  4d.)  a day.  A coolie  will 
carry  on  his  shoulder  eighty  catties  (107  lbs.)  forty  miles  in 
one  day  for  the  equivalent  of  from  seven  to  nine  pence  of  our 
money.  Much  of  their  payment  remains  with  the  middleman 
who  hires  out  the  coolies.  Certainly  the  necessities  of  life 
are  cheap,  but  even  so  the  poverty  is  great. 

In  China,  however,  there  is  less  of  that  contrast  between 
grinding  poverty  and  arrogant  wealth  which  is  the  rule  in 
Europe.  The  Chinese  are  not  snobs,  and  are  not  ashamed  of 
poor  friends  and  relations.  In  the  north  labourers  come  from 
their  work  and  sit  down  in  the  farmhouse  on  the  same  bench 
with  their  employers  round  the  fire.  When  supper  is  served 
all  eat  together. 

The  cheapness  of  labour  puts  men  and  women  to  what  we 
would  consider  unworthy  uses.  One  occupation  is  this  : a 
man  sits  or  lies  in  a state  of  nudity,  and  eggs  are  put  all 
around  until  the  heat  of  his  body  hatches  them.  The  human 
hen  or  cock  may  occasionally  leave  the  nest  for  a few  moments, 
but  must  hasten  back  before  the  eggs  get  cold.  After  a three 
weeks’  hatch  he  looks  very  white  and  wretched. 

I have  counted  as  many  as  sixteen  coolies  carrying  a great 
stone.  As  I saw  their  ant-like  movements  I understood 
how  the  remains  of  antiquity  that  astonish  us  were  built. 
They  took  “ time  for  their  fulcrum  and  patience  for  their 
lever.” 

So  accustomed  does  a coolie  become  to  carrying  loads 
attached  to  a pole  resting  on  his  shoulders  that  if  he  cannot 
divide  his  burden  he  will  fasten  a stone  of  equal  weight  to  the 
other  end  of  the  pole  rather  than  carry  the  load  some  other 
way.  The  instinctive  knowledge  that  coolies  have  of  the 
application  of  force  is  marvellous.  Give  one  of  them  a 


SERVANTS  AND  LABOURERS  155 


bamboo  polo  and  a piece  of  rope,  and  lie  will  shift  a log  that 
would  seem  to  require  an  ox  or  even  an  elephant. 

Coolies,  both  men  and  women,  have  a great  dislike  to  being 
photographed.  One  day  we  saw  a group  of  the  latter,  who 
were  picturesque  in  their  ugliness,  and  tried  to  get  a snapshot 
at  them.  The  coy  ladies,  however,  strongly  objected.  They 
hid  their  faces  behind  their  umbrella-like  hats,  and  when  we 
tried  to  get  at  them  by  a flank  movement  they  took  to  flight, 
and  saved  their  faces  by  making  good  use  of  their  feet.  Ono 
reason  why  the  camera  is  an  object  of  dread  to  ignorant 
Chinese  is  because  they  think  that  it  draws  the  soul  away 
from  the  person  photographed.  The  coolie  women  upon 
whom  this  photographic  attack  was  made  carried  the  baggage 
of  troops  with  whom  I was  on  manoeuvres  in  the  country.  Mr. 
Thomas  Atkins  called  the  ladies  “ The  Amah  Brigade.” 

Speaking  of  nicknames,  we  may  remark  that  the  one  a chair 
coolie  most  dislikes  is  to  be  called  a horse  without  a tail. 
“ Coffin-chisel,”  or  one  that  makes  coffins,  will  greatly  insult 
any  coolie. 

Centuries  ago  the  Chinese  made  use  of  the  principle  of 
co-operation  between  capital  and  labour  to  which  we  are  now 
turning  as  to  a sheet-anchor  in  our  twentieth  century  of 
Christianity.  You  are  sometimes  astonished  when  a Chinese 
merchant  introduces  to  you  as  his  partners  young  men  who  in 
England  would  be  junior  clerks.  Even  the  coolie  packing  tea- 
boxes  says,  “ We  are  doing  well  this  year,”  and  works  with 
a wall. 

Not  long  ago  I heard  in  Hong  Kong  twm  men  discussing  the 
removal  of  a large  quantity  of  earth  in  connection  with  some 
building.  One  said  to  the  other,  “Would  this  be  done  cheaper 
by  rice-power  or  by  steam  ? ” By  rice-power  he  meant  coolies 
fed  on  rice,  and  it  seemed  a brutal  way  of  speaking  of  man 
made  in  the  image  of  God.  One  thing,  perhaps,  which  makes 
us  think  of  men  as  machines  in  the  Far  East  is  the  fact  that 
they  draw  us  about  in  ginrickshas  or  pull-man-cars. 


156  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Treadmill  work  is  thought  too  severe  for  prisoners  in  Eng- 
land, but  coolies  do  much  of  it  in  China.  They  propel  boats 
by  working  with  their  feet  a wheel  in  the  stern  ; they  smooth 
cotton  by  peddling  on  large  granite  blocks,  so  that  the  blocks 
move  backwards  and  forwards  ; they  husk  rice  by  stepping 
upon  heavy  clappers.  In  coal-mines  worked  without  foreign 
machinery  men,  who  are  bondsmen,  are  to  be  found  toiling 
up  to  their  waists  in  water.  They  are  nicknamed  “ frogs,” 
and  have,  as  a rule,  sold  themselves  into  slavery  because  of 
gambling  or  family  liabilities. 

The  coolies  with  dull,  downcast  eyes  who  carry  enormous 
loads  up  the  Peak  at  Hong  Kong  wear  no  clothes  in  summer 
except  small  drawers.  Some  of  them  look  like  skeletons 
covered  with  parchment  and  spotted  with  bruises  and  sores. 
The  veins  and  sinews  of  their  legs  are  all  knotted.  They 
never  beg.  Because  of  this,  and  in  return  for  the  lesson  they 
taught  me  in  patience,  I used  sometimes  to  give  a coolie  a 
piece  of  money.  He  would  look  at  it  with  suspicion.  “ Did 
I want  to  make  him  a rice  Christian  ? ” Finding  that  I had 
no  design  upon  his  faith  and  morals,  he  would  take  the  money 
with  a sickly  smile  and  say,  “ Cumslia  (a  present),  all  right.” 
Most  of  the  materials  with  which  the  houses  on  the  Peak  have 
been  built  were  carried  up  by  coolie  women.  They  may  be 
said  to  have  borne  the  houses  on  their  shoulders.  They  go  at 
a jog-trot  pace,  which  experience  has  taught  them  is  easiest. 
One  sees  coolie  women  coaling  steamers,  breaking  stones, 
pulling  big  stone  rollers,  and  doing  generally  the  hardest 
work. 

A pathetic  sight  in  the  streets  of  Hong  Kong  are  the 
“ 16th  Lancers,”  as  our  soldiers  call  the  sixteen  coolies  who 
draw  about  the  cart  of  manufactured  ice.  They  haul  for  all 
they  arc  worth,  and  surely  each  of  these  sixteen  lancers  are 
worth  more  in  God’s  sight  than  they  look  to  be  to  those  who 
notice  them  only  with  derision  in  the  streets. 


CHAPTER  XV 


BETROTHAL  AND  MARRIAGE 


The  most  important  of  life’s  duties — Wives  married,  concubines  loved — 
The  go-between — Presents  interchanged — Betrothed  from  birth — Married 
to  a tablet — The  wedding  ceremony — Teasing  the  bride — rarents-in-law 
must  be  remembered — “ Sifting  four  eyes  ” — Pretended  reluctance — 
Mother-in-lawed — The  seven  reasons  for  divorce — A paradox — Thought 
disgraceful  for  widows  to  marry. 


HEN  parents  get  their  children  married  they  are 


thought  to  have  performed  the  most  important  of 
life’s  duties,  though  they,  no  doubt,  sometimes  make  as 
great  blunders  as  the  young  people  would  make  if  left  to 
choose  for  themselves.  Certainly  there  is  human  nature  in 
Chinese  young  men,  and  they  do  fall  in  love  and  flirt,  but  not 
with  girls  whom  they  marry.  To  these  they  are  engaged  by 
their  parents,  and  often  they  never  see  them  until  the  -wedding. 
Then  it  is  said  they  sometimes  start  back  in  pain  and  dismay. 
It  is  considered  improper  for  men  to  be  seen  speaking  to  their 
fiancees,  or  even  to  their  brides.  One  young  man  did  venture 
to  talk  in  public  to  the  girl  he  married,  and  the  proceeding 
was  so  unusual  that  the  members  of  his  family  made  an  entry 
in  writing  every  time  they  saw  him  doing  so,  and  chaffed  him 
unmercifully.  “We  marry  our  wives,”  said  a Korean  gentle- 
man, “ but  we  love  our  concubines,”  and  this  is  the  case  very 
often  in  China,  though,  of  course,  when  a man  gets  a good 
wife,  love  for  her  will  be  likely  to  come  to  him  after  marriage. 


157 


158  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


The  family  to  which  the  boy  or  young  man  belongs  generally 
begin  negotiations.  They  do  so  by  means  of  a go-between, 
who  may  be  described  as  a professional  liar.  “ To  lie  like  a 
match-maker  ” is  a common  expression.  This  woman — the 
go-between  is  frequently  a woman — is  furnished  with  a card 
stating  the  ancestral  name  and  the  eight  characters  which 
denote  the  hour,  day,  month,  and  year  of  birth  of  the  candidate 
for  matrimony.  The  go-between  takes  this  card  to  the  family 
indicated,  and  tenders  a proposal  of  marriage  for  a daughter. 
Should  the  girl’s  parents  entertain  the  proposal  they  show  to  a 
fortune-teller  the  eight  characters  which  tell  the  exact  time  of 
birth  of  the  young  people,  and  he,  after  examining  them,  says 
whether  the  betrothal  would  be  auspicious.  If,  for  instance, 
the  girl  was  born  on  the  day  dedicated  to  the  goose,  and  the 
boy  on  that  of  the  fox,  negotiations  would  terminate,  because 
from  time  immemorial  foxes  have  eaten  geese.  Should,  how- 
ever, the  respective  days  be  favourable,  the  families  interchange 
cards  upon  which  a formal  agreement  has  been  written.  The 
parents  of  the  young  man  send  with  the  card  gold  or  silver 
bangles  for  the  girl,  and  for  her  family  pig’s  feet,  a pair  of 
fowls,  two  fish,  eight  cocoanuts,  &c.  The  girl’s  family  send 
with  the  card  five  kinds  of  dried  fruit,  artificial  flowers, 
vermicelli  and  cakes  of  ceremony  for  distribution  amongst 
friends.  On  the  top  stack  of  these  cakes  small  dolls  made 
of  flour  are  stuck.  A pair  of  geese  are  sent,  not  to  cast  a 
reflection  upon  the  intellectual  condition  of  the  youth  and 
maiden  to  be  married,  but  as  an  emblem  of  domestic  bliss, 
these  birds  being  reputed  to  be  good  family  birds. 

Some  children  are  betrothed  from  their  birth,  so  the  time 
between  betrothal  and  marriage  varies  from  a month  or  two  to 
eighteen  or  twenty  years.  Two  persons  having  the  same  sur- 
name are  not  allowed  to  marry.  As  there  arc  only  about  a 
hundred  recognised  family  names  in  the  Chinese  Empire,  this 
is  a serious  limitation. 

When  a girl  “spills  the  tea,”  that  is,  loses  her  betrothed  by 


Wedding  Chair. 


BETROTHAL  AND  MARRIAGE  159 

death,  she  is  sometimes  married  to  the  tablet  which  represents 
his  spirit,  and  goes  to  live  with,  that  is  to  say,  to  be  a drudge 
to,  his  parents.  If  a girl  dies  before  betrothal,  her  parents 
betroth  her  to  the  spirit  of  some  man.  This  is  done  by  writing 
their  names  on  tablets  in  a temple.  This  prevents  her  spirit 
returning  to  torment  the  family. 

The  first  moon  of  the  Chinese  year  (February)  is  considered 
the  most  felicitous  time  for  marriage.  It  is  in  this  month  that 
the  peach-tree  blossoms,  aud  hence  there  are  constant  allusions 
to  it  in  connection  with  marriage. 

The  first  part  of  a wedding  procession  consists  of  lantern- 
bearers,  banner-bearers,  and  those  who  carry  the  tablets  upon 
which  are  inscribed  the  names  of  the  man  and  woman  who  are 
being  married.  Some  of  these  bearers  wear  extraordinary- 
looking head-dresses.  Two  or  three  large  red  official  um- 
brellas are  then  borne  past.  In  the  middle  comes  the  glass 
chair  of  the  bride,  which  is  highly  adorned  with  doll-like 
symbolical  figures. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  bride  at  the  bridegroom’s  house  a 
woman  who  has  borne  male  children  and  who  lives  in 
“ harmonious  subjection  ” to  her  husband,  approaches  the 
door  of  the  sedan  chair  and  utters  felicitous  sentences.  In 
some  parts  of  the  country  the  bridegroom  unlocks  the  chair, 
in  others  it  is  one  of  the  women.  A boy  six  or  eight  years 
old,  holding  in  his  hands  a brass  mirror  with  the  reflecting 
surface  turned  from  him  and  towards  the  chair,  invites  the 
bride  to  alight.  This  she  does,  and  is  then  lifted  over  the 
threshold,  on  which  charcoal  burns  in  a pan,  to  prevent  her 
bringing  evil  influence  with  her.  She  is  now7  conducted  over  a 
floor  covered  with  red  carpet  to  her  room,  and  is  there  met  by 
the  bridegroom.  Both  simultaneously  seat  themselves,  side 
by  side,  on  the  edge  of  the  bedstead,  each  trying  to  get  a 
portion  of  the  other’s  dress  under  him  or  her.  Whoever  can 
do  this  will,  it  is  thought,  have  to  submit  to  the  other. 

After  sitting  thus  in  silence  for  a few  moments  the  bride- 


160  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


groom  takes  lais  departure  and  waits  in  the  reception-room 
for  the  reappearance  of  his  bride.  When  she  comes  they 
worship  together  heaven  and  earth  and  the  ancestral  tablets, 
and  this  worship  is  the  essence  of  the  wedding  ceremony. 
A table  is  placed  “before  heaven  ” in  the  front  part  of  the 
reception-room.  Two  lighted  candles  and  a censer  contain- 
ing lighted  incense  are  put  upon  it.  There  are  also  placed 
upon  it,  as  omens  of  prosperity  and  harmony,  two  miniature 
white  cocks  made  of  sugar,  five  kinds  of  dried  fruit,  money- 
scales,  a bundle  of  chopsticks,  a foot  measure,  a mirror,  and 
a pair  of  shears. 

The  bride  takes  her  place  by  the  table  on  the  right  side  of 
the  groom,  and  both  of  them  kneel  down  four  times,  each  time 
bowing  their  heads  towards  the  earth  in  silence.  They  then 
rise  up,  change  places,  and  again  kneel  down  four  times, 
bowing  their  heads  as  before.  The  ancestral  tablets  are  now 
placed  upon  the  table,  and  the  bride  and  bridegroom  kneel 
down  and  worship  these  eight  times,  as  they  did  “ heaven 
and  earth.”  On  rising,  two  curiously  shaped  goblets  con- 
nected together  by  a red  silk  or  red  cotton  cord,  and  contain- 
ing wine  and  honey  are  held  to  the  mouths  of  bridegroom  and 
bride,  and  then  changed  so  that  the  bride  sips  out  of  the  one 
just  used  by  the  bridegroom.  A bit  of  the  sugar  cocks  and 
some  of  the  dried  fruits  are  also  given  from  off  the  table  to 
each  of  the  pair.  Eating  from  the  same  sugar  cock  and 
drinking  wine  from  the  same  goblets  are  symbolical  of  union 
in  sharing  their  lot  in  life. 

After  this  the  bride  and  bridegroom  dine  together,  and  it  is 
now  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  frequently  and  always  for 
the  first  time  on  his  marriage-day,  that  the  latter  secs  the 
features  of  his  wife.  She  wears  no  rouge  on  this  day,  so  he 
knows  what  share  of  unadorned  beauty  he  has  got.  The 
bridegroom  cats  as  much  as  he  likes,  but  the  bride  must  not 
take  any  food  except  what  is  sent  to  her  by  her  own  family 
for  seven  or  fourteen  days.  She  sits  dignified  and  composed 


BETROTHAL  AND  MARRIAGE  161 


beside  her  feasting  husband,  and  does  not  open  her  mouth 
either  to  eat  or  to  speak.  It  may  be  observed  here  that  it  is 
only  on  his  wedding-day  that  a man  in  high-class  life  deigns 
to  dine  with  his  wife. 

Some  time  during  the  afternoon  the  male  guests  sit  down 
to  dinner,  but  they  are  paying  guests,  for  each  sends  before 
the  entertainment  a present  in  money.  I saw  ono  of  these 
feasts,  and  was  astonished  at  the  largo  amount  of  pork,  and 
of  cakes  with  pork  in  them,  that  were  served.  Even 
uninvited  neighbours  are  allowed  to  come  in  during  the 
evening  to  see  the  bride,  and  they  frequently  indulge  in  jests 
and  indecent  liberty  of  remark  about  her  which  she  must 
hear  with  not  only  eomposuro  but  indifference.  The  girl  is 
pulled  about,  and  her  feet,  her  dress,  and  her  appearance 
generally  closely  scrutinised.  Sho  is  told  to  stand  with  her 
bound  “ lily  ” feet  upon  a small  inverted  wine-cup.  If  she 
fail  to  do  this,  the  friends  say,  “ How  awkward  ! ” “ Give 

tea  to  your  husband  ” may  be  the  next  order.  If  she  obey, 
they  remark,  “ What  an  obedient  wife  ! ” Should  she  sulk 
and  pay  no  attention,  they  will  condole  with  her  husband  on 
having  got  a vixen  for  a wife.  This  is  called  “ lao-shing- 
fang” — teasing  the  bride. 

Chinese  wedding  festivities  generally  last  at  least  two  days. 
The  first  day  the  male  friends  of  the  bridegroom  are  invited 
to  shed  their  light  on  the  occasion.  The  second  is  the 
woman’s  day,  when  female  friends  are  bidden  to  the  marriage. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day  the  newly  married 
couple,  amid  the  noise  of  fire-crackers  and  other  demonstra- 
tions of  interest,  come  out  of  their  room  together  and  proceed 
to  the  kitchen  for  the  purpose  of  worshipping  the  god  and 
goddess  of  the  kitchen.  It  is  expected  that  the  bride,  in 
attempting  culinary  operations,  will  succeed  better  in  conse- 
quence of  paying  early  and  respectful  attention  to  these 
divinities.  The  bride  will  also  have  to  proceed  to  the  ances- 
tral temple  to  worship  there  her  husband’s  forefathers. 

11 


162  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

On  the  third  day  after  marriage  the  parents  of  the  bride 
generally  send  an  invitation  to  their  son-in-law  and  his  wife 
to  visit  them,  and  this  visit  is  paid  with  much  ceremony. 
Indeed,  a man  is  not  allowed  to  forget  his  father-  and  mother- 
in-law.  Every  year,  upon  their  birthdays,  he  is  expected  to 
make  them  presents  of  pig’s  feet,  vermicelli,  wine,  and  large 
red  candles,  with,  perhaps,  some  money. 

Two  or  three  days  before  the  wedding  the  dowry  of  the 
bride-to-be,  which  consists  of  many  pieces  of  furniture,  is 
carried  in  a procession  through  the  streets  to  the  house  of  the 
man’s  parents.  The  Chinese  are  said  to  buy  their  wives,  but 
they  themselves  deny  that  this  is  the  case,  because  the  money 
given  to  the  bride’s  parents  by  the  husband-to-be  is  intended 
to  be  used  for  her  outfit.  At  a grand  wedding  near  Canton 
which  a friend  of  mine  lately  attended  it  took  seven  hundred 
coolies  to  carry  the  bride’s  clothes  and  furniture.  The  enter- 
tainments in  connection  with  the  event  cost  something  like 
ninety  thousand  dollars. 

It  may  be  remarked  here  that  at  a marriage  in  South 
China  the  bride  presents  her  husband  with  a pair  of  shoes, 
thus  signifying  that  she  places  herself  under  his  control. 
In  the  story  of  Ruth  her  kinsman  plucked  off  his  shoe,  as  a 
sign  of  his  renunciation  of  his  claim  to  marry  her.  In 
Psalm  lx.  8,  “Over  Edom  will  I cast  out  my  shoe”  means, 
I have  renounced  Edom. 

A custom  called  “ sifting  four  eyes  ” is  observed  as  an 
omen  of  prosperity.  One  by  one  the  wedding  garments  for 
the  bride  are  placed  in  a sieve  and  moved  backwards  and  for- 
wards over  a brass  vessel  having  in  it  burning  coals.  Those 
who  hold  the  sieve  repeat  some  such  w'ords  as  these:  “A 
thousand  eyes,  ten  thousand  eyes,  we  sift  out;  gold  and 
silver,  wealth  and  precious  things  we  sift  in.”  A similar 
ceremony,  called  “ expolling  tho  filth,”  is  performed  in  refer- 
ence to  the  bridegroom’s  wedding  suit  in  order  to  ward  off 
pernicious  influences. 


To  face  page  163. 


Chinese  Bride’s  Veil. 


BETROTHAL  AND  MARRIAGE  163 

Girls  must  cry  for  three  days  before  their  wedding,  and 
pretend  not  to  care  to  oat  or  to  drink  or  to  do  anything. 
This  is  to  prevent  people  saying  that  they  want  to  be  married. 
For  the  same  reason,  when  the  time  comes,  on  her  wedding- 
day,  for  a girl  to  leave  her  home,  she  hides  herself.  Her 
mother  calls  her,  and  searches  all  over  the  house,  crying  that 
she  has  lost  her  daughter.  Then  she  comes  upon  a room 
fastened  inside ; surely  it  contains  the  fugitive.  She  knocks 
frequently,  but  there  is  no  answer ; and  the  coolies  who  are 
to  carry  the  wedding-chair,  and  tho  musicians  who  are  to 
accompany  it,  are  clamouring  that  they  cannot  wait  longer. 
Under  these  circumstances  I knew  of  one  mother  who  threw 
a bucket  of  water  in  at  tho  window  to  drive  out  her  daughter. 
When  there  has  been  enough  makebelieve  of  reluctance,  the 
girl  opens  the  door  and  is  dragged,  struggling  and  tearful,  by 
her  mother,  not  exactly  to  a stool  of  repentance,  but  to  the 
bridal  chair.  Sometimes  the  girl  does  not  hide  from  her 
mother,  but  pretends  that  she  is  hindered  from  taking  a seat 
in  the  fatal  chair  by  the  girls  of  her  own  age,  who  cling  to 
her,  weeping. 

Great  interest  is  shown  by  a girl’s  female  friends  when,  the 
day  before  her  marriage,  her  hair  is  done  up  in  the  style  of 
married  women  of  her  class,  and  she  tries  on  the  clothes  she 
is  to  wear.  On  the  eventful  day,  just  before  she  takes  her 
seat  in  the  wedding-chair,  her  toilet  is  completed  by  one  of 
her  parents  putting  on  her  head  a sort  of  tiara  and  a veil  of 
pearls  or  flowers  so  thick  that  her  features  are  completely 
concealed. 

Before  starting,  however,  for  her  future  home,  one  more 
ceremony — for  luck — is  observed.  Members  of  her  family, 
taking  a bed-quilt  by  its  four  corners,  hold  it  in  this  way 
before  the  bride  as  she  sits  in  her  chair.  Then  one  of  her 
assistants  throw  into  the  air,  one  by  one,  four  cakes,  in  such 
a manner  that  they  will  fall  into  the  bed-quilt. 

When  the  quilt  containing  these  cakes  is  gathered  up  and 


164  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

brought  into  the  house,  the  procession  starts  amid  the  sound 
of  fire-crackers  and  of  music,  which  sounds  to  Europeans 
like  the  noise  of  cats  trying  to  sing  bass  with  sore  throats. 
A Chinese  marriage  makes  plain  our  Lord’s  parable  of  the 
man  who  had  not  on  a wedding  garment.  All  the  people  in 
the  wedding  procession  wear  red  or  red  and  green  coats  or 
cloaks — red  being  the  colour  for  marriage,  as  the  colour  for 
funerals  is  white.  These  red  garments  are  lent  for  the 
occasion,  and  the  boys,  many  of  them  street  arabs,  have 
nothing  to  do  but  put  them  on.  The  man  in  the  parable 
was  so  insolent  that  he  would  not  even  do  this,  so  he  deserved 
to  be  cast  into  outer  darkness — that  is,  far  away  from  the 
lights  and  festivity  of  the  wedding  feast. 

Perhaps  the  ordinary  Chinese  married  woman  does  not  in 
practice  obey  her  husband  much  more  than  does  the  British ; 
but  she  must  obey  her  husband’s  father  and  mother.  The 
latter  she  calls  “mother,”  or  “mother-in-law-mother.”  If  she 
receive  a present  she  must  hand  it  over  to  her  mother-in- 
law.  This  mistress  not  seldom  beats  her,  and  may  call  upon 
her  son  to  do  so  too.  Should  she  strike  back  she  may  be 
brought  before  a magistrate  and  receive  a hundred  strokes  of 
the  bamboo.  And  yet  there  have  been  motliers-in-law  who  were 
conquered  by  the  tact  and  forbearance  of  their  daughters-in- 
law.  Dr.  Williams  quotes  the  following,  translated  from  the 
moralist  Luhcliau  : “ Loh  Yang  travelled  seven  years  to 
improve  himself,  during  which  time  his  wife  served  her 
mother-in-law  and  supported  her  son.  The  poultry  from  a 
neighbour’s  house  once  wandered  into  her  garden,  and  her 
mother-in-law  stolo  and  killed  some  of  them  for  eating. 
When  the  wife  sat  down  to  table  and  saw  the  fowls  sho  burst 
into  tears.  Asked  the  cause  of  her  distress,  she  said  ‘ I 
weep  because  I cannot  supply  you  with  all  I wish,  and 
because  I have  caused  you  to  eat  what  belongs  to  another.’ 
The  mother-in-law  was  so  affected  by  this  that  she  threw 
away  the  dish.” 


BETROTHAL  AN1)  MARRIAGE  165 


A Chinese  gentleman  does  not  eat  with  or  talk  to  his  wife, 
or  make  her  a companion  in  any  way.  Nor  can  the  poor 
thing  indulge  in  talking  to  him,  for  loquacity  is  one  of  the 
seven  reasons  for  the  divorce  of  a wife  recognised  by  law  in 
China.  The  other  six  reasons  aro  childlessness,  wanton 
conduct,  neglect  of  husband’s  parents,  thievishness,  jealousy, 
malignant  disease. 

There  are,  however,  three  conditions  under  which  the 
above  seven  reasons  fail  to  justify  divorce ; viz.,  if  the  wife 
has  no  home  to  go  to,  if  she  has  twice  shared  the  period  of 
three  years’  mourning  for  a parent-in-law,  and  if  she  has  risen 
with  her  husband  from  poverty  to  affluence. 

The  position  of  a married  woman  is  shown  by  the  proverb, 
“ You  must  listen  to  your  wife,  but  not  believe  her.” 

It  is  certainly  not  true  that  a Chinaman  always  limits 
himself  to  one  unceasing  wife,  but  polygamy  is  the  exception 
and  not  the  rule.  Number  one  wife  is  the  legal  official  one, 
though  “ little  wives,”  or  concubines,  are  permitted.  Probably 
Chinese  husbands  do  not  treat  their  wives  worse  than  do 
British,  but  they  have  greater  power  to  do  so.  If  a husband 
kills  his  wife  he  is  strangled,  unless  he  can  prove  her  guilty 
of  infidelity  or  want  of  respect  for  his  parents,  in  which  case 
his  action  would  be  considered  praiseworthy  rather  than  cul- 
pable. If  a wife  kills  her  husband  she  is  tied  to  a cross  and 
put  to  death  by  the  “ Lingchi,”  a degrading  and  slow 
process.  A Chinaman  addresses  his  wife  as  “ Er — rr,” 
indefinitely  prolonged,  and  she  speaks  to  and  of  him  as 
“ Great  mandarin.” 

Still  wToman,  however  she  may  be  regarded  in  theory, 
possesses  a knack  of  asserting  herself  in  her  owm  home,  with 
a recuperative  power  which  will  even  bear  up  against  the 
costermonger’s  fist,  and  the  paradox  is  sometimes  seen  that 
in  China,  where  woman  counts  for  so  little,  she  reigns  supreme 
in  households,  and  if  she  be  an  Empress-Dowager,  in  the 
empire. 


166  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


Widows  are  obliged  by  custom  to  wear  a white,  black,  or 
blue  skirt,  when  they  wear  any  skirt  at  all.  Hence  the 
expression,  “Marrying  the  wearer  of  a white  skirt,”  applied 
to  a man  who  marries  a widow.  It  is  considered  rather 
disgraceful  for  a widow  to  marry.  If  she  do  so  she  must 
go  in  a common  black  chair  carried  by  two  men  only,  from 
her  residence  to  that  of  her  intended  husband,  and  not  in  a 
red  bridal  chair.  When  Chu  Hsi  was  asked  if  a poor  lone 
widow  without  means  of  subsistence  might  marry  again,  he 
replied,  “ What  you  are  afraid  of  for  her  is  cold  and 
starvation  ; but  starvation  is  a comparatively  small  matter, 
and  loss  of  reputation  is  a great  one.” 

So  highly  esteemed  is  the  widow  who  docs  not  marry  again, 
or  the  maiden  who,  on  the  death  of  her  affianced  spouse,  vows 
to  remain  single,  that  frequently  triple  arches  of  fine  carved 
stone-work,  called  pailaus,  are  erected  in  their  honour. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XVI 


DEATH  AND  BURIAL 


Death  and  social  position — No  help  given  to  the  dying — More  light — “The 
devil  who  follows” — Like  an  Irish  wake — Sacerdotal  ventriloquism  — 
The  first  lifting  of  the  coffin — A “ white  affair  ” — When  at  the  point  of 
death  Chinese  put  on  their  best  clothes — One  reason  why  Chinese 
coffins  are  so  large — A “charming  retreat” — A favourite  present — 
Uncomfortable  graves— A Mandarin  makes  sure  of  a lucky  tomb — 
“ Blood  burial  ” — * 1 Won’t  even  leave  his  carcase  ” — ‘ 1 Buying  the  water  ” 
— A hint — Flat  beer. 


OR  everything  connected  with  death  in  China  rigid 


rules  are  laid  down,  either  by  law  or  by  custom. 
Even  the  name  of  what  is  elsewhere  the  great  leveller  is 
not  common  to  all.  Emperors  are  said  to  “ crash  ” ; princes 
to  “ demise  ” ; ministers  of  state  to  “ stop  ” ; officials  to 
“ resign  their  dignities  ” ; and  it  is  only  the  common  people 
who  “ die.”  According  to  rank,  too,  is  the  height  of  the 
mounds  on  people’s  graves,  and  the  number  of  yards  they 
enclose.  A sliding  scale  is  also  provided  as  regards  the 
avenues  of  stone  figures,  which  lead  up  to  the  sepulchres 
of  the  great,  or  rather  of  the  wealthy. 

In  China  even  more  care  and  money  are  expended  upon 
funerals  than  upon  weddings.  If  they  can  get  money  in 
no  other  way  to  bury  a parent  in  good  style,  sons  will  sell  all 
their  land,  and  even  pull  down  their  house  and  dispose  of  the 
timbers.  People  like  to  have  a description  of  a grand  funeral 
placed  upon  record  in  their  family  history. 


167 


168  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

It  is  hard  to  get  one’s  dying  done  in  China.  Nobody 

will  help  you  with  it.  The  Chinese  do  not  care  what  noise 

they  make  in  a room  where  a person  is  in  extremis.  Those 

who  have  never  noticed  the  individual  when  in  health  will 

crowd  in  for  a look  when  they  hear  that  he  or  she  is  passing 
away.  “Oh  yes;  she’ll  die.  My  sister  had  this  disease 
and  died,  so  of  course  this  one  will  die,”  says  one  with 
a sepulchral  tone  of  voice,  and  the  others  comment  on  the 
phases  that  strike  them  as  most  hopeless.  It  is  no  wonder 
if  the  patient  do  dio.  As  the  dead  cannot  see  in  the  land 
of  shades,  their  relatives  light  candles  immediately  after  they 
die  to  enable  them  to  find  the  right  path.  In  some  localities 
one  of  the  family  will  go  upon  the  roof  of  the  house  and 
call  the  deceased  by  name.  This  is  done  to  bring  his  spirit 
back.  In  parts  of  China  a lantern  is  often  carried,  even  in 
the  daytime,  with  the  coffin  when  going  to  be  buried,  to  light 
the  spirit.  I have  seen  a paper  lantern,  with  a looking-glass 
attached  to  it,  carried  by  the  chief  mourner.  Those  who  can 
afford  it  buy  a pearl  and  put  it  upon  the  forehead  of  the  dead 
to  give  more  light.  A pair  of  small  mirrors  are  placed  in  the 
coffin  for  the  same  reason. 

Another  help  to  find  the  way  is  believed  to  be  furnished  by 
the  King  of  Hades  himself,  in  the  shape  of  a “ little  devil  ” 
which  he  sends  to  be  servant  and  guide  to  the  dead  man. 
For  this  “ devil  who  follows,”  as  he  is  called,  the  family 
place  a pair  of  chopsticks,  a small  bowl  of  rice,  and  a 
little  paper-money,  when  they  make  provision  for  the  sup- 
posed gastronomic  and  financial  wants  of  their  deceased 
relative.  If  he  were  not  supplied  with  rations  and  pocket- 
money  the  “ little  devil  ” might  become  offended  and  led 
astray. 

There  is  also  sometimes  made  in  the  same  room,  or  in  a 
room  adjoining  the  one  in  which  the  corpse  lies,  a bamboo 
contrivance  resembling  partly  a bridge  and  partly  a ladder. 
The  bridge  aids  the  dead  to  pass  rivers,  and  the  ladder 


DEATH  AND  BURIAL  169 

enables  him  to  climb  steep  places,  should  lie  meet  such 
impediments  in  his  journey. 

There  were  obsequies  at  a house  opposite  where  I 
stayed  at  Peking,  so  I saw  something  of  what  was  done. 
One  was  occasionally  reminded  of  an  Irish  wake.  First  a 
soul  of  the  deceased  (each  man  is  believed  to  have  three) 
was  called  upon  to  occupy  the  tablet  prepared  for  it,  with 
much  wailing  and  chanting  on  the  part  of  relatives  and 
priests.  Sacerdotal  ventriloquism  is  appreciated  on  these 
occasions,  for  by  means  of  it  a pretended  conversation  can 
be  carried  on  with  the  dead  person.  A second  soul  would 
go  to  the  gravo  with  the  body,  but  the  third  had  to  be 
attended  to,  and  this  was  done  by  the  priests  burning  a 
life-sized  Peking  cart,  pony,  and  driver,  made  of  paper 
and  bamboo.  Burning  sends  things  into  the  spirit-world, 
so  the  soul  would  find  the  equipage  waiting  to  convey 
it  to  the  city  temple,  where  one  soul  of  every  person  is 
supposed  to  go  to  learn  the  decision  as  to  its  future  fate. 

The  first  lifting  of  the  coffin  by  its  bearers  is  the  signal 
for  the  relatives  to  hasten  out  of  the  room.  They  do  this 
fearing  lest,  if  any  mishap  should  occur,  the  spirit  of  the 
deceased  would  take  vengeance  on  those  who  were  present 
when  the  removal  took  place. 

In  Chinese  funeral  processions  there  is  much  dramatic 
ceremony,  with  not  a little  that  is  shabby  and  ludicrous. 
Banners,  lanterns,  official  umbrellas,  screens  and  tablets 
shining  with  lacquer  and  glittering  with  gilt  are  carried 
before  and  behind  the  coffin  of  a notable,  but  the  bearers 
are  dirty  street  loafers,  who  have  had  red  and  green  cloaks 
thrown  over  their  rags  for  the  occasion.  Sometimes  the  hired 
cloaks  and  banners  are  made  of  very  costly  embroidered 
silk.  The  eldest  son  of  the  deceased  is  clad  in  bamboo 
sackcloth,  having  characters  which  mean  “Alas,  alas,  my 
father ! ” on  his  back.  In  his  hand  there  is  a white  wand 
with  streamers  of  white  linen  or  paper  fastened  to  it.  Other 


170  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

near  relatives  are  covered  with  white  cloth,  and  their  limbs, 
which  were  supposed  to  have  been  enfeebled  with  grief,  are 
supported  by  the  arms  of  friends.  A funeral  is  called  a 
“white  affair,”  because  of  the  colour  of  the  mourning.  The 
chief  mourners  have  little  balls  of  wool  suspended  from  their 
heads  over  the  eyes  to  represent  tears. 

No  Chinese  widow  looks  well  in  her  sackcloth  weeds.  The 
mourners  throw  their  heads  from  side  to  side  and  wail  loudly. 
I have  seen  them  just  before  the  funeral  started  kneel  down 
and  knock  their  heads  upon  the  ground.  One  girl  did  not  do 
this  last  sufficiently  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  so  a woman 
came  behind  her  and  banged  her  head  on  the  street. 

When  they  think  that  they  are  on  the  point  of  death,  some 
Chinese  put  on  or  have  put  on  their  best  clothes,  so  as  to 
be  presentable  in  the  other  world.  Clean  attire  is  given  to 
criminals  about  to  be  carried  off  to  execution.  As  the 
Chinese  have  a dread  of  the  dead,  they  perform  as  many  as 
possible  of  the  last  respects  before  life  has  quite  left  the 
body.  It  is  said,  though  I cannot  vouch  for  it,  that  men’s 
paper  shoes  are  put  on  the  feet  of  a female  corpse,  so 
that  in  the  next  world  she  may  be  on  the  same  footing 
with  men. 

In  the  middle  class,  as  many  as  twelve  garments,  including 
a fan,  will  be  used  in  dressing  a corpse.  This  is  one  reason 
why  Chinese  coffins  are  so  large.  They  arc  made  of  four  half 
logs,  and  resemble  the  trunk  of  a tree.  The  joinings  of  the 
logs  are  closed,  and  made  air-tight  with  cement  and  varnish. 
Coffins  are  covered  with  red  lacquer,  or  with  black,  or  with  no 
lacquer  at  all,  according  to  the  rank  of  the  deceased.  I saw  a 
lacquered  coffin  which  cost  three  thousand  dollars. 

When  a great  Chinese  travels  he  brings  with  him  “timber 
of  age,”  or  “ longevity  boards,”  as  a coffin  is  euphemistically 
called.  Insurance  in  China,  instead  of  having  reference  to 
the  comfort  of  survivors,  entitles  the  man  who  insures  to 
grave-clothes  and  a “charming  retreat,”  or  coffin. 


171 


DEATH  AND  BURIAL 

A favourite  present  for  a son  to  give  to  a parent  is  a coffin. 
It  is  presented  with  laudatory  speech,  and  the  hope  that  there 
may  be  no  immediate  use  for  it.  The  gift  is  stored  in  the 
hall  and  shown  to  visitors  writh  pride.  Some  people  keep 
in  temples  the  coffins  they  intend  ono  day  to  occupy. 

A corpse  in  a massive,  sealed-down  coffin  is  often  kept  in 
the  house  where  he  or  she  died  until  a lucky  place  and  timo 
for  burial  have  been  discovered  by  Taoist  priests,  who  are  not 
in  a hurry  while  money  is  forthcoming. 

A missionary  thus  wTrites : “ A next-door  neighbour  of 
ours  died,  and  his  wife  kept  him  so  long  that  it  was  getting  to 
be  unbearable,  and  the  hot  weather  would  make  it  worse.  Wo 
tried  to  persuade  her  to  bury  him,  but  she  said,  ‘ No  ! I 
cannot  possibly  do  it,  for  the  ground  we  have  found  contains 
only  tho  dragon’s  head  and  two  claws,  no  body.  It  must 
have  a whole  dragon.’  After  three  months  no  place  had  been 
found  ! ” 

Woe  to  those  who  put  their  ancestors  in  uncomfortable 
graves.  A family  are  unfortunate  in  business  and  consult 
a priest.  He  says  that  he  has  been  credibly  informed  from 
the  other  world  that  a parent  or  grandparent  is  causing  tho 
trouble,  because  he  has  been  buried  in  an  uncongenial  spot. 
The  unresting  one  must  have  a change  of  quarters.  The 
family  agree  to  this,  and  the  priest,  after  testing  many  sites 
with  an  instrument  like  a compass,  fixes  on  a new  one.  For 
this  an  enormous  price  is  often  asked  by  the  owner,  who  has 
to  share  -with  his  Reverence.  The  coffin  is  taken  up  and 
buried  in  the  new  grave. 

The  ideal  spot  in  which  to  be  buried  is  on  the  side  of 
a hill,  facing  running  water.  The  hill  being  unavailable 
for  cultivation  no  loss  is  suffered  by  the  living.  This  no 
doubt  is  why  the  hills  near  cities  are  all  dotted  with  graves. 
A military  mandarin,  to  make  sure  of  getting  a lucky  tomb, 
had  some  of  his  hair  and  finger-nails  interred  in  different 
places. 


172  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


Another  occasional  cause  of  delay  in  burial,  is  the  rule  that 
there  must  be  no  funeral  while  any  lady  of  the  household 
is  enceinte.  It  is  consoling  for  those  who  have  not  the  rent 
of  their  house  ready  that  they  cannot  be  turned  out  so  long 
as  an  unburied  body  is  under  the  roof,  and  naturally  they  are 
in  no  hurry  to  bury  the  body.  The  term  “blood  burial  ” is 
applied  contemptuously  to  a funeral  which  is  thought  to  have 
taken  place  too  soon  and  without  all  the  customary  pre- 
liminaries. The  corpse  is  believed  to  have  blood  in  it,  not 
having  had  time  to  dry  up.  It  should  remain  aboveground 
for  at  least  seven  times  seven  days. 

You  may  come  across  coffins  awaiting  burial  where  you 
least  expect  to  do  so.  Sitting  on  a stone  near  Foochow 
talking  to  a man,  he  said,  “ We  had  better  move.”  Looking 
behind  me  I saw  in  a corner  three  coffins. 

In  the  country  round  Shanghai  coffins  containing  bodies 
may  be  seen  everywhere.  Some  are  covered  with  straw  and 
other  coverings. 

The  Chinese  say,  “If  he  who  attains  honour  or  wealth 
never  returns  to  his  native  place,  he  is  like  a finely  dressed 
person  walking  in  the  dark  ” — it  is  all  thrown  away.  Most 
Chinese  do  manage  to  return,  if  not  before  they  die,  certainly 
when  that  event  takes  place.  Indeed  it  is  one  of  the  counts 
in  the  Australian  indictment  of  the  Chinaman,  that  he  not 
only  sends  his  savings  to  China,  but  “won’t  even  leave  his 
old  carcase  behind  to  manure  our  lands.”  If  the  captain 
of  a steamer  brings  back  the  body  of  a Chinese  passenger 
dying  on  board,  he  will  probably  receive  an  embroidered 
banner,  emblazoning  his  “ benevolence.” 

“ Buying  the  water”  is  an  important  part  of  Chinese 
obsequies.  The  eldest  son  who  is  chief  mourner,  accom- 
panied by  friends  and  the  inevitable  gong  and  pipes,  goes 
to  the  nearest  river,  throws  cash  into  it  and  fills  a bowl 
with  water  to  bo  used  in  washing  the  dead.  This  washing 
and  the  other  offices  preparatory  to  interment  are  done  by 


DEATH  AND  BURIAL  173 

persons  so  dospisod  that  they  are  not  allowod  to  enter  a 
temple. 

After  the  grave-clothes  have  been  put  on,  the  corpse  is 
tightly  bound  around  with  several  pieces  of  cloth,  two  of 
which  are  white  and  one  red.  They  aro  tied  in  knots  of 
a kind  which  are  considered  auspicious  or  of  good  omen. 
A piece  of  gold  or  silver,  a pearl,  a jowel,  three  cash  or 
three  sorts  of  grain,  are  put  into  the  mouth  of  tho  dead  person, 
according  to  the  rank  ho  had  in  life. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  wishes  of  a deceased  person,  two 
coins  are  put  into  his  sleevo  and  the  arm  is  shaken.  An 
affirmative  or  negative  answer  is  supposed  to  be  given  by 
the  relative  position  in  which  the  cash  fall. 

For  some  time  after  a person  dies  his  family  offer  to  him 
at  their  meals  a small  portion  of  food  and  drink.  When  they 
decide  to  discontinue  doing  so,  they  indicate  this  decision 
by  presenting  a few  pieces  of  firewood,  a little  uncooked 
rice,  a small  moasuro  of  oil,  some  salt,  and  a quantity  of 
paper-money  for  marketing.  This  is  a hint  that  the  dead 
must  procure  and  cook  his  own  food  for  the  future. 

An  Englishman  asked  a Chinaman  how  his  deceased 
relative  could  eat  the  food  offered  to  him.  He  replied,  “He 
can  eat  it  as  easily  as  a kinsman  of  yours  can  smell  the 
flowers  you  put  on  his  grave.” 

The  order  of  a funeral  procession  is  something  like  this : 
A man  precedes  the  whole,  strewing  paper  which  represents 
money,  in  order  to  bribe  into  good-humour  any  malignant 
spirits  that  may  be  loafing  around.  This  is  called  “buying 
the  road.”  Then  come  two  men  carrying  white  lanterns,  and 
musicians  making  a noise,  which  to  Europeans  seems  much 
the  same  as  that  which  the  Chinese  make  at  weddings.  After 
the  band  are  carried  red  boards  or  squares  of  purple  cloth, 
having  on  them  letters  of  gold,  detailing  the  honours  and 
offices  of  the  deceased.  The  huge  coffin,  borne  by  eight, 
sixteen,  or  thirty-two  bearers,  has  at  its  head  a crate  contain- 


174  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

ing  sometimes  a living  cock.  More  frequently  the  bird  is 
made  of  cardboard  and  is  a stork  rather  than  a cock,  but 
whether  dead  or  alive,  cock  or  stork,  its  business  is  to  guide 
the  soul  of  the  dead  man. 

In  the  north  the  bier  is  a great  catafalque  adorned  with 
satin  curtains  on  which  golden  dragons  are  embroidered. 
Next  pass  canopies  adorned  with  blue  cloth.  Under  these 
are  pigs  roasted  whole,  dried  ducks,  trays  of  cakes,  candles, 
paper-money  and  other  things  to  be  offered  at  the  grave. 
Living  goats  or  cardboard  effigies  of  different  animals  and  of 
servants  may  also  be  seen.  The  longevity  picture  and  the 
tablet  of  the  deceased  are  conveyed  in  a sedan  chair  or  in  a 
rickshaw.  The  procession  may  be  lengthened  to  taste  by 
repeating  its  different  parts.  Of  course,  many  yellow-robed 
priests  tramp  along,  and  they  soothe  themselves  from  time  to 
time  with  pipes  and  cigars. 

When  the  procession  reaches  the  lucky  place  selected  for 
the  grave,  and  the  coffin  is  placed  on  the  ground,  the  mourners 
beat  their  heads  and  wail  bitterly  while  priests  burn  incense 
and  fire  off  crackers  to  frighten  away  demons.  After  the 
grave  is  filled  up  the  eatables  which  have  been  carried  in  the 
funeral  procession  are  spread  out,  and  left  for  a while  in  order 
that  the  dead  man  may  feast  on  their  essence.  The  spirits 
of  the  dead  are  so  considerate  that  they  only  partake  of  the 
immaterial  part  of  the  roast  pig,  fowls,  cakes,  and  other 
luxuries  that  are  presented  to  them,  the  gross  material  part 
of  them  is  therefore  brought  back  from  the  obsequies  and 
served  as  funeral  baked  meats  to  the  living. 

At  Amoy  I saw  a priest  arrayed  in  scarlet  robes  dedicating 
in  a shrine  amidst  the  tombs  as  much  food  of  all  kinds  as 
would  have  stocked  a restaurant,  though  it  seemed  to  have 
all  been  given  by  a single  mourner.  In  Hong  Kong  you  will 
see  bottles  of  beer  amongst  the  offerings.  If  the  dead  take 
the  spirit  from  these,  surely  what  is  left  for  the  living  must 
be  flat ! 


DEATH  AND  BURIAI 


175 


Married  daughters,  having  passed  out  of  the  family,  are  not 
always  invited  to  the  family  obsequies ; when  they  arc,  they 
only  wear  mourning  for  seven  days.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
they  return  to  their  homes  in  coloured  clothes,  and  adorned 
with  jewellery,  so  that  their  husbands  may  not  be  saddened 
by  “ trappings  and  suits  of  woe.” 

Infants,  unmarried  people,  concubines,  and  slaves  have  no 
ceremonial  funerals,  and  sometimes  none  of  any  sort.  In  the 
north  of  China  their  corpses  are  not  seldom  left  on  the  hills 
to  be  devoured  by  beasts  of  prey. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


MOURNING 


Noisy  grief — A “longevity  picture  ” — “ Weeping  tears  of  blood.” — “ Cloths 
to  cry  with  ’’ — In  “ dutiful  grief  ” — Mourning  for  parents — Expense  of 
funerals — On  the  death  of  the  Emperor — Confucius  on  the  obligation  of 
mourners — The  duty  of  eldest  son. 


S soon  as  a death  takes  place  it  is  officially  announced 


with  much  wailing  at  the  temple  of  the  local  god.  The 
visit  is  returned  promptly  by  Buddhist  and  Taoist  priests, 
who  scent  fees  from  afar.  These  clerics  blow  horns,  moan 
formulce,  ring  bells,  and  beat  upon  skull-shaped  drums. 
This,  however,  is  not  considered  noise  enough  in  a house  of 
mourning,  so  bombs  and  crackers  are  let  off  at  frequent 
intervals,  and  people  are  hired  to  add  to  the  din  with  shrill 
pipes  and  clanging  cymbals. 

After  the  coffin  of  a dead  person  is  closed  down  a “ lon- 
gevity picture”  is  put  in  a bamboo  frame  and  placed  in  the 
reception-room,  where  it  can  easily  be  seen.  It  is  intended  to 
be  a likeness  of  the  deceased,  and  is  about  as  large  as  a child 
six  or  eight  years  old.  As  a substitute  for  this  a rag  doll  is 
sometimes  used.  On  a table  set  in  front  of  this  representative 
of  the  person  whose  death  is  mourned,  are  placed  every 
morning  for  some  time  water  for  the  deceased  to  wash  with, 
food,  and  paper-money  ; when  the  day  closes  all  the  members 
of  the  family  bid  “ good-night.” 

A rich  man  announces  the  death  of  his  fathor  by  sending 


177 


MOURNING 

to  each  of  his  friends  a sheet  of  paper  about  a yard  and  a half 
long  and  broad  in  proportion,  whereon  ho  states  that  ho  and 
his  relatives  aro  on  their  knees,  beating  their  heads  upon  tho 
ground  and  weeping  tears  of  blood.  When  these  friends 
come  to  pay  a visit  of  condolence  they  are  received  by  tho 
chief  mourner  on  his  knees.  The  friends  also  kneel  down 
and  worship  beforo  tho  “ longevity  picture.”  They  are  given 
strips  of  white  cloth  called  “cloths  to  cry  with.”  During 
this  ceremony  somo  femalo  member  of  the  family,  hid  from 
viow  behind  a Avhite  screen,  wails  aloud  and  relates  the  good 
deeds  of  the  deceased. 

For  forty-nine  days  the  chief  mourners  do  not  shave  their 
heads  or  change  their  dress,  and  on  every  seventh  day  they 
wear  sackcloth  over  their  ordinary  clothing.  For  seven  days 
no  cooking  is  done  in  a mourning  family.  Food  is  sent  by 
their  neighbours  and  must  be  eaten  with  the  fingers  as  though 
the  intensity  of  their  grief  prevented  them  from  using  chop- 
sticks. 

In  the  first  agonies  of  grief  visiting  cards  of  plain  white 
paper  arc  used  instead  of  the  ordinary  red  ones.  After  a 
while  salmon-coloured  cards  are  substituted,  on  which  the 
mourner  is  described  as  being  in  “ dutiful  grief.” 

Over  the  door  of  a house  of  mourning  are  hung  white 
lanterns  with  blue  characters  on  them,  instead  of  the  usual 
red  ones  with  black  characters.  On  either  side  of  the  door 
white  labels  are  pasted  and  linen  plentifully  festooned. 

Sons  mourn  parents  three  years,  because  for  the  first  three 
years  of  their  existence  they  were  nursed  by  their  parents. 
By  a merciful  fiction  this  period  is  reduced  to  twenty-seven 
months.  They  cannot,  when  in  mourning,  present  themselves 
at  examinations  for  degrees,  and  it  is  unlawful  for  them  to 
beget  a child.  If  they  are  officials  they  must  remove  the 
buttons  from  their  caps  and  leave  their  posts. 

Sons  are  supposed  to  take  it  in  turn  to  sleep  on  straw  by  the 
coffin  of  a parent  for  a hundred  nights.  A certain  Ho  Sun, 

12 


178  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

when  mourning  for  his  father,  was  robbed.  Seeing  the  thief 
about  to  take  a copper  pan,  he  said,  “ Do  me  the  favour  to  leave 
this  utensil  to  get  my  dear  mother’s  breakfast  m.”  The 
thief  not  only  left  the  pan  but  gave  back  what  he  had  taken, 
saying,  “ I should  certainly  bring  a curse  upon  my  head  if  I 
robbed  so  good  a son.” 

The  mother  of  a man  called  Li  was  always  very  nervous  in 
a thunderstorm,  so  when  she  died  Li  used  to  go  to  her 
grave  whenever  it  thundered,  and  bending  down  say,  “ Mother, 
don’t  be  afraid,  your  son  is  near  you.” 

A widow  known  to  us  slept  every  night  beside  her  husband’s 
coffin,  until  he  was  buried  after  nine  months. 

A house-boy  of  ours  was  “ suffered  ” to  go  and  bury  his 
father.  On  returning  he  said  that  the  operation  had  cost  him 
over  three  hundred  dollars.  He  paid  a good  deal  for  the 
grave  because  he  wished  his  parent,  who  was  more  than  eighty 
years  of  age,  not  to  be  crowded  with  others,  but  to  have  one 
by  himself,  and  he  had  so  many  friends  to  entertain  that  the 
adage  was  illustrated — 


“ When  old  folk  die 
The  rest  feed  high.” 


The  friends  made  the  usual  contribution  towards  the 
expenses,  but  they  had  too  large  appetites  to  be  “ paying 
guests.”  However,  it  is  not  so  much  what  mourners  cat  as 
what  they  take  away  that  costs.  Each  brings  home  as  a 
memento  the  chopsticks,  bowls,  and  other  things  used  at 
table.  To  furnish  these  utensils  during  the  long  period  when 
open  house  is  kept,  often  runs  survivors  into  debt  and  other 
difficulties. 

On  the  death  of  the  Emperor  all  Chinamen  must  leave  the 
front  of  their  heads  unshorn  for  a hundred  days,  which  produces 
a very  untidy  appearance.  During  this  time  no  theatrical 
performance  may  be  given  throughout  the  Empire. 


179 


MOURNING 

A newly  crowned  Emperor  has  in  the  Temple  of  the  Imperial 
Ancestors  at  Peking  to  reverenco  these  worthies  by  kneeling 
sixteen  times,  and  by  knocking  his  forehead  on  the  ground  no 
less  than  thirty-six  times.  All  his  nobles,  too,  arc  required  to 
do  tho  same  in  order  to  teach  the  people  the  importance  of 
filial  piety.  Ancestral  worship  is  filial  piety  gone  mad. 

When  questioned  about  the  obligations  of  mourners  Con- 
fucius answered,  “Whilst  we  are  unable  to  fulfil  all  our 
duties  to  our  fellows,  how  can  we  serve  the  far-off  spirits?  ” 
And  again  : “ If  we  assumed  the  dead  were  living  and  could 
partake  of  the  offerings  presented  to  them,  that  would  not  bo 
altogether  true.  And  yet  the  heart,  with  its  strong,  deeply 
infixed  affections,  could  not  be  satisfied  without  this  ministry 
of  sacrifice  at  the  graves.”  Ancestor-worship  may  be  said  to 
be  the  Chinaman’s  religion  ; it  influences  nearly  every  thought 
and  act  of  his  life. 

The  eldest  son  is  responsible  for  the  care  of  the  dead  in 
a family.  He  keeps  their  graves  in  repair,  and  if  the  bones 
have  been  taken  out  of  the  graves  becauso  the  family  have 
changed  their  abode  or  for  any  other  reason,  he  guards 
the  “ yellow  gold,”  as  the  Chinese  call  what  foreigners 
irreverently  designate  “ potted  ancestors.”  When  he  has 
nothing  better  to  do  he  cleans  up  the  bones  of  his  fathers, 
and  without  any  training  in  anatomy  he  knows  how  many 
there  should  be  and  even  puts  labels  upon  them. 

In  early  spring  takes  place  Tsing  Ming,  a kind  of  “All 
Souls  ” festival  when  graves  are  visited.  A table  is  set 
before  a tomb  and  on  it  is  placed  a paper  or  tablet  with 
the  name  of  the  deceased  inscribed  upon  it.  Candles  arc 
lighted,  incense  burnt,  and  dishes  laid  on  the  table  contain- 
ing fish,  flesh  (of  pork),  fowl,  fruit,  and  sweetmeats.  The 
eldest  son,  prostrating  himself  many  times,  makes  vows  and 
offers  up  prayers.  Paper  clothes  and  trunks  to  put  them 
in,  pipes,  servants,  horses,  sedan  chairs,  houses,  and  indeed 
paper  semblances  of  all  kinds  of  luxuries  and  requisites  are 


180  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

burned,  and  by  this  sort  of  parcel  post  sent  into  the  spirit- 
world.  Letters  to  the  dead  are  also  transmitted  by  fiery 
post. 

Sometimes,  three  days  before  the  actual  Feast  of  Tombs 
begins,  as  well  as  three  days  after  it,  a mourner,  always  a 
woman,  generally  a relative,  will  be  paid  to  sit  swaying 
herself  backwards  and  forwards  as  she  utters  a pitiful  cry. 

Many  of  the  mourners,  however,  are  not  professional,  but 
very  genuine.  “ In  the  dark  place  where  you  are,  protect 
me!”  will  be  the  cry  of  one.  Another  will  moan  out 
reproaches  to  the  dead  for  having  died,  such  as,  “ My  son, 
you  owed  it  to  me,  your  mother,  who  reared  you,  to  have 
lived  that  you  might  have  been  the  support  of  my  old  age.” 

The  “ saluting  of  the  hill,”  as  the  Tsing  or  Ching  Ming 
celebrations  are  called  in  South  China,  because  graves  are 
nearly  always  on  the  side  of  a hill,  ends,  as  do  most  Chinese 
functions,  with  a fusillade  of  crackers. 

Streamers  of  gold- spotted  paper  are  left  by  those  who 
have  swept  and  repaired  tombs.  These  serve  as  visiting 
cards,  and  insure  that  credit  will  be  given  for  the  call. 

A Chinese  does  not  put  mourning  on  for  those  younger 
than  himself  or  for  his  wife.  He  may  not  even  attend  that 
lady’s  funeral. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

BOYS  IN  CHINA 


A proverb— Nothing  so  untilial  as  to  have  no  children — A boy  is  petted  and 
indulged  for  not  being  a girl — He  gets  a “milk  name”  and  several 
other  kinds  of  names — Boys  sometimes  dressed  as  girls  or  as  Buddhist 
priests — Games — Bird’s  nests  not  robbed — Betting  on  flies  and  oranges 
— Boys  work  too  much  and  too  young — First  day  at  school — “ Backing 
a lesson” — Mere  memory -boxes — Writing — Long  hours — Severity — 
Answer  of  Mencius — Anecdote  of — The  trimetrical  classic — Another 
school  book — Filial  service — The  cap  of  manhood — Parental  power — 
What  will  the  boy  be  ? 

“ TF  one  has  plenty  of  money,”  says  a Chinese  proverb,  “but 
-L  no  children,  he  cannot  be  reckoned  rich  ; if  one  has 
“children,  but  no  money,  he  cannot  be  considered  poor.” 
Mencius  taught  that  nothing  is  so  untilial  as  to  have  no 
posterity.  The  man  who  allows  his  family  to  die  out  for 
want  of  offspring  wrongs  all  former  members  of  it.  Every 
Chinese  wants  to  have  a son,  because  it  is  only  a son  who 
can  perform  the  funeral  and  other  rites  which  the  worship 
of  ancestors  enjoins.  “ If  you  have  no  children  to  foul  the 
bed,  you  will  have  no  one  to  burn  paper  at  the  grave.”  The 
hungry  spirit  of  him  who  leaves  no  son  behind  him  has 
only  a share  of  the  offerings  which,  three  times  a year, 
are  made  by  the  charitable  public  for  the  benefit  of  the 
destitute  dead.  The  cry  is  not  “ Give  me  children  or  else 
I die,”  but  “ Give  me  a son  or  I cannot  die  in  peace.” 

Boys  who  can  make  offerings  to  dead  parents  are  petted  and 

181 


182  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


indulged  as  a reward  for  not  being  unworshipping  girls.  A 
boy  soon  learns  his  importance,  and  sometimes  rules  his 
family  absolutely.  A Chinese  mother  never  thinks  of 
teaching  her  male  children  self-control,  but  gives  them 
whatever  they  cry  and  scream  for. 

A boy  gets  a “ milk  name  ” twenty-eight  days  after  his 
birth.  Such  names  are  sometimes  given  as  “ Little  Stupid,” 
“Vagabond,”  “Flea,”  “Dirt.”  This  is  in  order  that  evil 
spirits,  thinking  that  the  parents  do  not  care  for  the  boys, 
may  not  molest  them.  For  the  same  reason  boys  are 
occasionally  dressed  as  girls  or  in  the  despised  garb  of  a 
Buddhist  priest. 

A boy  receives  a “ book  name,”  such  as  “ Ink-grinder,” 
“ Promising-study,”  “ Entering  Virtue,”  when  he  goes  to 
school,  and  a third  when  he  grows  up  and  marries. 

The  few  toys  which  a Chinese  lad  has  are  made  of  clay, 
cloth,  cardboard,  reeds,  or  sticks  of  bamboo.  I have  in 
my  possession  an  ingenious  one  composed  of  two  nuts,  a 
small  stick,  and  a piece  of  bamboo.  His  games  are  such 
as  throwing  bits  of  clay  at  a mark,  pushing  with  his  right 
foot  a small  ball  of  lead  so  that  it  will  hit  the  similar  ball 
of  an  opponent,  striking  a short  stick  sharpened  at  the  ends 
to  make  it  jump  into  a “city.”  A sort  of  trial  of  strength 
may  be  seen  practised  in  by-streets.  Two  boys  grasp  the 
ends  of  a bamboo  pole,  and  standing  erect  and  using  one 
leg  as  stay  each  tries  to  dislodge  the  other  from  his  standing- 
place  by  pushing  the  pole  straight  from  the  shoulder.  There 
seems  to  be  a knack  in  it,  for  sometimes  a little  fellow  will 
force  back  an  opponent  considerably  heavier  than  himself. 

Hop-scotch  finds  favour  in  China.  So  do  peg-tops  and 
marbles.  The  latter  are  propelled  with  the  second  finger 
of  the  left  hand  pulled  back  and  then  let  go  by  the  right 
hand.  “Blowing  the  fist”  is  a noisy  game  which  is  played 
by  two  or  more  boys.  One  throws  out  the  extended  fingers 
of  his  fists,  and  while  in  the  act  of  doing  so  another  shouts 


To  face  page  183. 


HOYS  IN  CHINA  183 

out  his  guess  of  the  number  of  fingers  struck  out  from  both 
fists. 

A rude  species  of  draughts  is  played  sometimes  with  little 
stones.  In  the  schools  which  have  lately  been  established 
to  teach  Western  knowledge,  American  and  British  games 
are  beginning  to  be  played.  There  is  a Chinese  version 
of  Punch  and  Judy  that  never  fails  to  attract.  Celestial 
boys  do  not  whistle.  In  their  lighter  moments  they  hum 
a monotonous  chant  in  a falsetto  voice,  making  a noise  liko 
a cat. 

Buddhist  teaching  regarding  the  sacredness  of  animal  life 
very  properly  checks  the  robbing  of  bird’s  nests.  “ How,” 
it  is  asked,  “ would  you  like  to  have  yov.r  house  pulled 
down  ? ” A large  proportion  of  Chinese  boys  live  at  a 
distance  from  the  sea,  from  lakes,  and  from  rivers,  and  have 
no  better  “ watering-place  ” than  the  mud  hole  from  which 
the  materials  for  their  village  houses  were  excavated. 

The  Chinese  are  a nation  of  gamblers,  and  they  begin  the 
bad  habit  when  very  young.  You  sec  boys  at  fruit  and  cake 
street  stalls  throwing  little  numbered  sticks  out  of  a tube 
of  bamboo  to  ascertain  whether  they  will  pay  double  or 
be  quits  for  what  they  have  taken.  Your  boy  or  servant 
bets  as  to  whether  you  will  order  ham  and  eggs  or  fish 
for  breakfast.  A rickshaw  coolie  lays  a wager  on  which 
shaft  of  his  vehicle  a fly  will  light  on  first,  which  is  not 
more  foolish  than  for  British  boys  to  bet  on  horses  which 
they  have  never  seen.  The  fly  at  least  cannot  be  jockied. 
Money  is  also  put  on  the  number  of  pips  that  will  be  found 
in  an  orange  when  it  is  opened. 

But  if  boys  in  China  have  not  as  much  play  as  British 
youths,  they  are  supplied  with  as  much  or  even  more  work. 
With  literally  a premature  air  of  gravity  about  them  they 
totter  along  with  burdens  too  heavy  for  them,  the  very 
youngest  gathering  fuel  and  collecting  manure. 

When  a boy  is  to  go  to  school  an  almanack  is  consulted 


184  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

and  a lucky  day  chosen  for  the  important  event.  The  boy 
is  clad  in  festal  robe,  and  looks  a miniature  mandarin  in  his 
tasselled  cap.  He  is  accompanied  by  his  father,  who  brings 
a present  for  the  master.  All  three  worship  before  a tablet 
of  the  god  of  literature  or  of  Confucius,  and  then  the  hoy 
prostrates  himself  before  his  master,  and  knocks  his  little 
shaven  head  on  the  schoolroom  floor  in  token  of  his  reverence 
and  promised  obedience. 

In  a Chinese  school  the  boys  sit  on  bamboo  stools  at 
tiny  tables.  On  each  table  there  is  a stone  slab,  a stick 
of  Chinese  ink,  and  writing  brushes.  We  are  astonished 
at  the  noise.  This  is  made  by  all  the  scholars  shouting 
out  at  the  same  moment  their  lessons.  Were  they  to  cease 
shouting  the  master  would  think  that  they  had  given  up 
studying.  The  teacher  reads  a line  and  the  pupil  repeats 
it.  If  the  boy  does  not  catch  what  has  been  said  he  repeats 
the  last  word  until  he  gets  something  more. 

When  a pupil  has  learned  his  lesson  he  turns  his  back  upon 
the  schoolmaster,  lest  he  should  get  a glimpse  of  the  book, 
and  recites  it.  This  is  called  “ backing  a lesson.”  Boys 
sway  from  side  to  side  when  saying  their  lessons. 

As  the  vernacular  speech  and  the  language  of  the  classics 
are  quite  different,  the  Chinese  boy  has  to  commit  to  memory 
words  the  meaning  of  which  he  does  not  understand.  It  is 
something  like  what  we  should  have  in  our  Western  schools  if 
our  youths  were  restricted  to  the  study  of  Latin,  and  required 
to  stow  away  in  their  memory  the  contents  of  the  principal 
classics  before  learning  a word  of  their  meaning. 

A boy’s  entrance  upon  study  is  called  lifting  the  darkness, 
and  to  teach  the  beginner  is  “ to  instruct  darkness,”  but 
it  is  not  easy  to  see  how  the  darkness  is  lifted  when  the 
beginner  has  to  learn  by  rote  characters  that  convey  no 
meaning  to  him.  The  little  heads  of  Celestial  boys  become 
mere  memory-boxes  for  certain  signs  and  sounds,  but  no 
ideas  at  all  aro  connected  with  them. 


185 


HOYS  IN  CHINA 

Writing,  which  is  called  “ treading  in  the  footsteps  of 
holy  men,”  is  learned  by  tracing  pago  after  pago  of  copy- 
book characters  on  transparent  paper  in  a listless  round, 
that  knows  no  Sunday,  and  no  Wednesday  and  Saturday 
half-holidays.  School  hours  arc  from  sunrise  to  10  o’clock 
a.m.,  when  the  boys  go  to  breakfast,  and  from  11  o’clock 
to  sundown.  Play  is  considered  a waste  of  timo  and  is 
discouraged  as  much  as  possible.  Even  when  tho  school 
hours  are  over  the  scholars  cannot  have  a romp,  but  are 
required  to  return  to  their  homes  “in  an  orderly  and 
becoming  manner.” 

“To  teach  without  severity,  shows  a teacher’s  indolence.” 
Judging  from  this  Chinese  saying  the  pupil  must  often  think 
that  his  teacher  is  very  energetic.  There  is  no  sparing  of 
the  rod  in  a Chinese  school,  and  tho  head  of  the  boy  is 
the  place  at  which  blows  are  generally  aimed,  as  if  that 
would  knock  brains  into  him ! There  arc,  however,  teachers 
who  resort  to  corporal  punishment  only  as  a last  resort. 
These  will  use  such  a punishment  as  making  a boy  kneel 
at  his  seat  for  a while  before  the  school. 

The  Chinese  show  the  common  sense  for  which  they 
are  conspicuous  by  never  attempting  to  teach  their  own 
sons.  Upon  one  occasion  Mencius  was  asked  why  the 
superior  man  does  not  teach  his  owrn  son.  He  replied  that 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  forbid  it.  The  teacher  should 
inculcate  what  is  correct ; when  he  does  so  and  his  lessons 
are  not  followed  he  becomes  angry.  In  this  way  he  is 
alienated  from  his  son,  who  complains  that  his  father  teaches 
one  thing  and  practises  another.  The  ancients  exchanged 
sons,  and  one  taught  the  son  of  another. 

Mencius  himself,  it  may  be  said,  was  carefully  brought  up  by 
his  widowed  mother.  As  a child  he  lived  with  her  at  first 
near  a cemetery,  the  result  being  that  he  began  to  reproduce 
in  play  the  solemn  scenes  which  were  constantly  enacted 
before  his  eyes.  His  mother  accordingly  removed  to  another 


186  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


house  near  the  market-place,  and  before  long  the  little  boy 
forgot  all  about  funerals  and  played  at  buying  and  selling. 
Once  more  his  mother  disapproved,  and  once  more  changed 
her  dwelling ; this  time  to  a house  near  a college,  where  he 
soon  began  to  imitate  the  ceremonial  observances  in  which 
the  students  were  instructed,  to  the  great  joy  of  his  mother. 

The  first  book  from  which  a Chinese  boy  learns  is  the 
Trimetrical,  or  three-character  classic,  so  called  because  it  is 
written  in  doggerel  lines  of  three  characters  each.  It  begins 
by  warning  the  youth  that  “ gems  un wrought  can  never  be 
useful,  and  that  untaught  persons  will  never  know  the 
proprieties.”  It  informs  him  that  Confucius  once  learned 
something  from  a mere  child  ; that  the  ancient  students  had 
no  books,  but  copied  their  lessons  on  reeds  and  slips  of  bamboo ; 
that  one  learned  to  read  characters  which  were  traced  upon 
the  sand  of  the  sea  by  his  mother,  who  could  not  afford 
writing  materials ; that  another  read  by  the  light  of  glow- 
worms put  into  a gauze-bag ; and  that  a third,  too  poor  to 
buy  a candle,  studied  through  a chink  in  his  neighbour’s 
wall. 

Among  the  prodigies  of  diligence  cited  for  emulation  are 
two,  who,  “though  girls,  were  intelligent  and  well  informed.” 
Insects,  however,  like  the  silkworm  and  the  bee,  can  teach 
diligence  as  well  as  girls,  and  “ if  men  neglect  to  learn,  they 
are  inferior  to  insects.”  They  should  be  as  diligent  as  the 
student  who  fastened  his  queue  to  a beam  above  him  in  order 
that  when  he  nodded  over  his  task  ho  might  be  roused  to 
fresh  diligence,  or  the  youth  who  so  greatly  preferred  books  to 
bed  that  lie  used  a round  stick  of  wood  as  a pillow  to  prevent 
deep  sleep.  That  boy,  we  think,  little  honoured  his  parents 
who,  when  away  from  home,  would  not  read  letters  from  them 
lest  they  should  take  his  attention  away  from  study. 

Veneration  for  parents,  however,  is  inculcated  by  another 
school-book  called,  “ The  Twenty-four  Examples  of  Filial 
Piety.”  One  example  is  of  a certain  Laitze.  This  worthy, 


187 


IiOYS  IN  CHINA 

when  seventy  years  of  ago,  fearing  that  his  years  might 
distress  his  paronts  by  reminding  them  of  their  greater  age, 
used  to  dross  as  an  infant  and  play  about  the  room. 

A lad  is  related  to  have  waited  on  his  sick  mother  three 
years  without  changing  his  clothes.  Another  boy  would  go 
to  bed  and  allow  the  mosquitoes  to  satisfy  themselves  upon 
him,  then  would  get  up  and  induce  his  parents  to  retire  into 
the  bed  and  have  an  undisturbed  sleep.  A boy  six  years  old 
thrust  two  oranges  up  his  sleeve  at  an  entertainment.  After 
a while  they  rolled  out,  and  the  boy  was  not  only  excused  but 
gained  lasting  credit  by  saying  they  were  for  his  mother. 

The  mother  of  a youth  was  very  fond  of  fish,  so  in  winter 
when  the  water  was  frozen,  in  order  to  catch  fish  for  her,  ho 
would  take  off  his  clothes  and  lie  on  the  ice  to  molt  ]it. 
Another  story  relates  with  approbation  how  a son  killed  his 
child  in  order  to  prolong  the  life  of  a grandparent. 

The  service  which  a filial  son  does  to  his  parents  is,  accord- 
ing to  Confucius, as  follows  : “In  his  general  conduct  to  them 
ho  manifests  the  utmost  reverence ; in  his  nourishing  of  them 
he  gives  the  highest  pleasure ; when  they  are  ill  he  feels  the 
deepest  anxiety  ; in  mourning  for  them  when  dead  he  exhibits 
every  demonstration  of  grief ; in  sacrificing  to  them  he  dis- 
plays the  utmost  solemnity.”  In  the  ancient  books  from 
which  Confucius  himself  learned  it  is  taught  that  filial  piety 
is  the  fulfilment  of  the  law.  A pious  son  will  also  be  an 
obedient  younger  brother ; and  he  who  is  both  will,  while  at 
home,  be  an  honest,  orderly  subject,  and  in  active  service 
from  home  a courageous  and  faithful  soldier. 

In  China  filial  piety  holds  the  place  of  religion,  so  that  “he 
who  serves  his  parents  at  home  has  no  need  to  go  far  away  to 
burn  incense  to  the  gods.”  Indeed  the  length  to  which  this 
virtue  is  brought  is  sometimes  shocking  and  disgusting. 
Think  of  a grandson  going  down  on  his  knees  and  licking 
up  liquid  that  had  exuded  from  his  grandfather’s  coffin,  or  of 
the  son  of  a Viceroy  killing  himself  in  order  to  be  buried 


188  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

with  his  mother — two  acts  which  have  been  praised  beyond 
measure. 

Still,  we  could  do  in  England  with  a little  more  filial  piety, 
with  a little  more  of  that  which  Confucius  meant  when  he  said 
that  filial  piety  consisted  in  giving  your  parents  no  cause  for 
anxiety,  save  from  your  natural  ailments. 

When  a youth  of  sixteen  dons  the  cap  of  manhood  he  is 
taken  to  the  ancestral  temple,  where  his  father  invokes  for 
him  the  care  of  his  forefathers  “that  he  may  be  a complete 
man,  and  not  fall  below  their  standard  of  excellence.”  He  is 
now  considered  so  far  a man  that  he  is  protected  henceforth 
from  the  indignities  with  which  he  who  is  “ only  a child  ” has 
sometimes  to  put  up.  Soon  after  this  he  is  married,  but  con- 
tinues to  live  in  the  paternal  home,  his  bride  being  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a servant  to  his  mother.  But  neither  at 
sixteen  nor  at  any  age  does  a man  come  out  from  the  legal 
control  of  his  parents.  While  his  parents  are  alive  a son  in 
private  life  must  engage  in  the  pursuit  chosen  for  him,  give 
them  his  earnings,  and  obey  them  in  all  things.  Filial  piety 
requires  that  a son  should  follow  in  the  steps  of  his  father. 
China  does  not  tolerate  self-willed  hooligans.  If  a parent 
require  a son  to  be  publicly  whipped  or  exposed  in  a wooden 
cangue,  with  the  crime  of  “ Not  filial  ” written  upon  it  by  a 
magistrate,  the  latter  is  obliged  to  comply.  A father  will  even 
hand  over  a rebellious  son  to  be  put  to  death  by  a mandarin. 

Physical  care  is  bestowed  upon  dogs  and  horses,  so  that 
is  not  enough  to  give  to  parents.  They  must  be  treated  with 
reverence.  This  may  be  learned  from  a lamb,  for  it  has  the 
grace  to  kneel  when  sucking  its  mother.  The  Book  of 
Bites  enjoins  that  when  parents  are  in  error,  a son  with 
humble  spirit,  pleasing  countenance,  and  gentle  tones,  must 
point  it  out  to  them.  If  the  parents  will  not  receive  the 
reproof  he  must  again  show  them  their  fault.  If  now,  becoming 
irritated,  they  chastise  the  fault-finder  until  the  blood  flows 
from  him,  lie  must  not  harbour  the  least  resentment  but  must 


189 


HOYS  IN  CHINA 

treat  them  with  increased  respect.  To  use  in  reference  to 
a father  a term  equivalent  to  the  “Governor”  of  British 
slang  would  bo  thought  shocking.  A Chinese  father  is  called 
“ Venerablo  Father,”  “Prince  of  the  Family,”  or  “The 
Family’s  Majesty  ” ; and  children  bow  low  or  kneel  down 
when  addressing  him.  Confucius  says  that  if  a father  is  killed 
a son  should  not  live  under  the  same  heaven  as  his  slayer. 

A boy  in  China  has  not  to  determine  for  himself  what  lie 
shall  be,  as  have  British  boys.  That  is  done  for  him  by  his 
parents  in  this  way.  On  the  anniversary  of  his  birthday  he  is 
placed  upon  a large  sieve,  such  as  farmers  uso  in  winnowing 
grain.  On  the  sieve  have  been  previously  laid  a set  of  money 
scales,  a gold  or  silver  ornament,  a pair  of  shears,  a foot- 
measure,  one  or  two  books,  &c.  The  object  is  to  see  what 
the  child  will  first  take  hold  of  and  play  with.  If  the  child  be 
a boy,  and  he  take  up  a book  or  a pen,  he  is  likely  to  become 
a distinguished  scholar ; if  he  touch  the  money  scales  or  the 
gold  ornament  it  is  thought  that  he  will  have  a talent  for 
making  money,  and  so  on. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN 


Gills  do  not  count — Why  boys  are  more  valued — “ Girls  may  not  be  drowned 
here  ” — Presents  at  the  birth  of  children — A “ rearing  marriage” — “ She 
is  his  wife  ’’—Cruelty  to  child  brides — Girls  sold  cheaply — Sometimes  a 
girl  is  only  pawned — Hoped  to  be  born  a dog — A scandal  from  which 
China  is  free — Easily  pleased — Small  feet — “ What  medicine  am  I 
to  give  them?” — The  Ying  and  the  Yang  principles — Only  a “side 
issue” — A “Never-to-be-married”  sisterhood — A terrible  Sin — Con- 
cubines, or  “little  wives” — The  volubility  of  tongues — He  had  never 
chastised  his  wife — Advice  to  girls — “ That  tallest  devil ! ” 

FRIEND  of  the  writer  in  China  asked  her  amah,  or 


nurse,  how  many  children  Mrs.  So-and-so  had.  “ Two,” 
was  the  reply.  “ Two  ? ” queried  my  friend,  “ I thought  that 
she  had  five — two  boys  and  three  girls.”  “ Yes,”  answered 
the  amah,  “ that  is  what  I said,  two  children,  for  girls  are  not 
children,  and  do  not  count.”  A son  is  required  for  the  per- 
formance of  ancestral  rites,  and  therefore  one  proverb  declares 
that  a perfect  daughter  is  not  equal  to  a splay-footed  son, 
and  another,  that  one  deformed  son  is  better  than  eighteen 
daughters  as  wise  as  the  apostles  of  Buddha.  “ Commodity 
on  which  money  is  lost,”  is  a common  periphrasis  for  a girl. 
One  unhappy  maiden  of  whom  I have  heard  was  named, 
“ Ought-to-Have-Been-a-Boy,”  and  another,  “Not  Wanted.” 
Nothing  in  our  Bible  is  so  hard  for  the  Chinese  to  believe 
as  the  assertion  that  Pharaoh  commanded  the  Israelitish  hoys 
to  be  killed  and  the  girls  to  be  saved.  In  some  parts  of  China 


190 


191 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN 

the  charge  for  vaccinating  a girl  is  only  half  that  which  is 
paid  for  a boy,  as  it  is  found  that  the  people  would  rather  run 
tho  risk  of  thoir  daughter’s  beauty  being  destroyed  than  pay 
for  her  at  the  same  rate  as  a son. 

Women  are  sometimes  beaten  by  their  husbands  or  mothers- 
in-law  for  the  crime  of  giving  birth  to  daughters  instead  of 
sons.  When  only  a girl  is  born  the  midwife  finds  it  difficult 
to  get  her  fee.  Occasionally  she  is  bribed  to  substitute  tho 
bought  boy  of  poor  parents  for  the  girl  just  born.  This  is 
called  stealing  a dragon  in  exchange  for  a phoenix. 

I have  often  observed  a gourd  or  log  tied  round  the  waist  of 
a boy  infant  belonging  to  the  people  who  live  in  boats.  This 
is  to  facilitate  his  being  pulled  out  of  the  sea  should  he  fall 
overboard.  There  is  no  such  handle  ever  to  a female  infant, 
because  she  is  considered  of  no  importance. 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  the  crime  of  infanticide  even  of 
female  children,  except  in  seasons  of  famine,  is,  in  proportion 
to  the  population,  more  common  in  China  than  it  is  in 
Europe.  Certainly  foeticide  is  not.  It  seems  to  be  true, 
however,  that  a large  number  of  female  children  are  put  to 
death,  or  at  least  allowed  to  die.  A terrible  witness  to  this  is 
a stone  standing  near  a pool  outside  the  city  of  Foochow.  On 
it  is  the  inscription,  “ Girls  may  not  be  drowned  here.” 
Indeed,  warnings  and  threatenings  against  killing  girl  children 
are  put  up  in  many  places. 

In  a proclamation  against  the  crime,  which  was  in  1873 
issued  by  the  Treasurer  of  the  province  of  Hupeh,  the  follow- 
ing reasons  which  are  generally  given  for  it  arc  refuted  : 
Because  the  parents  have  too  many  children,  or  none  but 
females ; because  if  the  mother  suckled  the  child  she  would 
not  conceive  again  while  doing  so  ; because  she  wishes  to  hire 
herself  as  a wet  nurse. 

Parents  announce  the  birth  of  a child  by  sending  to  their 
friends  eggs  dyed  red,  and  by  inviting  them  to  a feast  given  in 
honour  of  baby’s  first  and  sometimes  last  bath.  Presents  of 


192  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

different  kinds  of  eatables  are  sent  to  the  parents.  According 
to  the  old  Chinese  ballads  a valuable  ornament,  like  a marshal’s 
baton,  was  usually  given  to  a male  infant  to  play  with,  whilst 
a female  only  received  a potsherd,  supposed  to  represent  a 
weaving  shuttle  : hence  to  this  day  one  says  to  an  acquaintance, 
“ I hear  you  have  had  joy  to-day  ! ” He  laconically  replies, 
if  it  is  only  a girl,  “ Plays  with  potsherd.” 

Poor  parents  often  sell  or  give  away  a daughter  when  but  a 
few  weeks  or  months  old  to  be  the  future  wife  of  a boy  about 
her  own  age.  The  child  who  becomes  a bride  by  a “ rearing- 
marriage”  is  taken  home  and  brought  up  by  the  family  of  her 
future  husband.  An  English  lady  when  visiting  a school 
observed  a bright  boy  about  eight  years  of  age  carrying  a baby 
girl.  She  asked  if  she  were  his  sister,  whereupon  the  boy 
looked  shy,  and  did  not  answer.  His  brother  volunteered  the 
information,  “ She  is  his  wife  ! ” 

These  child-brides  are  worked  hard  and  sometimes  treated 
as  though  they  were  in  an  English  baby  farm.  The  Peking 
Gazette  reported  the  case  of  a woman  who  burned  the  girl  who 
was  being  reared  to  become  her  son’s  wife  with  incense-sticks 
and  poured  scalding  water  on  her  until  she  died. 

Ten  years  ago  when  there  was  a famine  at  Chaotoug  three 
thousand  female  children  were  sold  to  dealers  and  carried 
about  like  poultry  in  baskets.  As  I write  I hear  of  wives  (in 
England  we  can  obtain  a wife  for  nothing,  but  in  China  a man 
can  always  get  a price  for  his  wife)  and  children  (chiefly 
female)  being  sold  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Wuchow  on  the 
West  River,  where  there  is  a famine.  A lady  who  has  just 
returned  from  there  said  that  the  steamer  was  half  full  of 
women  who  had  gone  to  deal  in  children  and  bring  them  to 
Canton.  Some  of  their  girl  wares  they  had  bought  for  as 
little  as  30  cents  (7|d.)  each.  At  ordinary  times  a slave 
girl  will  fetch  from  <£1  up  to  .£10  or  £20,  according  to  age, 
beauty,  health,  and  strength.  So  much  is  female  slavery  a 
recognised  Chinese  institution  that  even  in  the  English  colony 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN  193 

of  Hong  Kong  most  of  the  female  servants  and  prostitutes 
of  the  Chinese  are  slaves.  Of  course  they  can  get  freedom 
if  they  have  enough  sense  and  knowledge  to  apply  to  the 
authorities,  but  they  seldom  have. 

It  is  thought  right  that  a slave  girl  should  be  sold  to  a 
husband,  or  in  some  other  way  provided  with  one,  when  she 
becomes  marriageable.  Sometimes  a girl  is  only  pawned  for 
a time,  and  not  sold  right  out.  In  some  localities  when  a man 
leaves  home  he  lets  his  wife  out  for  hire  until  his  return. 

It  sometimes  happens  in  the  case  of  better-class  families 
that  daughters  of  the  house  are  taught  by  resident  teachers. 
Except,  however,  by  Chinese  who  have  travelled  or  in  some 
way  imbibed  Western  ideas,  it  is  not  as  a rule  considered 
necessary  to  fit  a girl  for  marriage  by  any  kind  of  education. 
The  ordinary  father  thinks  that  it  would  be  a waste  of  money 
to  educate  one  who  will  be  the  daughter-in-law  of  some  one 
else.  A common  saying  is,  “ If  a girl  does  no  harm  it  is 
enough ; you  cannot  expect  her  to  be  either  good  or 
useful.” 

Being  considered  “ as  dangerous  as  smuggled  salt,”  girls 
are  kept  at  home  for  safety.  One  remarked  that  in  her  next 
existence  she  hoped  to  be  born  a dog,  that  she  might  go 
where  she  chose ! This  rebellious  young  lady  was  not 
influenced  by  the  example  of  an  eminent  lady  of  olden  times, 
who  for  twelve  years  did  not  look  out  of  the  door  of  her 
house.  A common  synonym  for  a wife  is  the  “ House- 
back,”  that  is,  the  person  who  stops  in  the  women’s  quarters 
at  the  back  of  the  house.  She  is  also  called  the  “ Broom- 
and-dust-pan.” 

The  waste  of  power  and  faculty  that  is  caused  by  the  large 
number  of  unmarried  women  in  Europe  is  a scandal  from 
which  China  is  free.  Chinese  parents  take  care  to  prevent 
this.  The  great  question  concerning  a girl  as  soon  as  she 
grows  up  at  all  is  “Is  she  said?”  that  is,  betrothed. 
Fortunately  the  men  are  not  as  particular  as  with  us.  A 

13 


194  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


man  being  questioned  as  to  what  sort  of  a wife  he  wanted 
replied,  “ It  is  enough  if  she  be  neither  bald  nor  idiotic.” 

Small  feet,  however,  are  essential.  “ It  is  very  important,” 
say  the  Chinese,  “ that  women’s  feet  should  be  bound  short, 
so  that  they  can  walk  with  mincing  steps  and  sway  like 
willow-trees.  They  thus  show  to  all  that  they  are  persons  of 
respectability.”  In  some  localities  natural  feet  are  a mark 
of  an  immoral  life.  In  the  interior  of  China  a girl  with 
unbound  feet  would  often  hear  such  remarks  in  reference  to 
them  as  “Just  look  at  those  two  boats  going  by!” 

This  bondage  to  custom  is  said  to  have  started  from 
emulation  of  Yao  Niang,  the  concubine  of  a prince  who  lived 
nine  centuries  ago.  So  light  was  her  step  that  she  “ skimmed 
over  the  tops  of  golden  lilies.”  But  il  faut  souffrir  pour  etre 
belle — “ Each  pair  of  bound  feet  costs  a Kang,  or  bath  of 
tears.”  The  bandages  are  tightened  every  week  until  the 
distortion  is  complete. 

Happily  this  custom  is  beginning  to  loosen  its  hold  upon 
the  Chinese.  Anti-foot-binding  societies  are  being  estab- 
lished, and  I lately  heard  of  one  school  for  girls  under  the 
patronage  of  a reforming  Viceroy,  the  pupils  of  which  were  all 
required  to  unbind  their  feet. 

Mrs.  Archibald  Little,  who  tries  to  make  the  lame  “leap  as 
an  hart,”  told  me  that  not  long  ago  she  gave  a party  for 
Chinese  girls.  The  joy  of  some  whose  feet  had  been 
unloosened  was  groat  when  they  found  themselves  able  to  use 
the  skipping-ropes  provided  for  their  entertainment.  Very 
envious  were  others  with  feet  still  bound  when  they  could  not 
jump  upon  their  poor  stumps.  One  mother  brought  to  Mrs. 
Little  five  daughters,  and  said  that  as  she  heard  small  feet 
were  going  out  of  fashion  she  would  like  the  girl’s  feet  to  be 
unbound.  “What  medicine  am  I to  give  them  ? ” “None 
at  all,”  replied  Mrs.  Little.  “ Only  take  off  the  bandages 
and  wash  them.”  Then  there  was  the  difficulty  how  to  get 
stockings  instead  of  bandages. 


0K 


Small-Footed  Maidens. 


195 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN 

According  to  Chinese  philosophy  death  and  ovil  originate 
in  the  Yin,  or  female  principle,  while  life  and  prosperity  come 
from  the  subjection  of  it  to  the  Yang,  or  male  principle. 
Woman  is  regarded  as  “ moulded  out  of  faults,”  and  allowed 
to  have  no  will  of  her  own.  In  the  land  of  China,  as  in  the 
Book  of  Genesis,  man  is  considered  the  first  object  in  creation 
and  woman  only  a side  issue.  Indeed,  she  is  looked  upon 
as  lower  than  this,  as  an  unclean  being  whose  clothes,  for 
instance,  would  pollute  those  of  a man  if  put  on  the  same 
clothes-horse. 

Except  for  coolie  women,  who  do  very  hard  work  indeed, 
there  is  no  employment  outside  matrimony  for  Chinese 
females.  And  certainly  matrimony  for  them  is  anything  but 
an  easy  profession.  Some  girls  near  Canton  showed  what  they 
thought  of  it  by  forming  themselves  into  a “ Never-to-be- 
married  ” Sisterhood.  They  swore  never  to  marry  because 
they  considered  marriage  unholy  and  miserable.  So  much  in 
earnest  were  the  maidens  in  their  strike  against  wedlock  that 
a band  of  them  ended  their  earthly  existence  in  the  Pearl 
River  because  a member  of  the  Sisterhood  had  been  forced  by 
her  parents  to  many. 

The  suicide  of  young  wives  who  cannot  bear  mothers-in- 
law  and  other  evils  of  Celestial  marriages  not  made  in  heaven 
is  not  at  all  uncommon.  “ Why  didn’t  you  die  when  you 
had  a chance?”  asked  a mother  of  a married  daughter  who 
had  attempted  suicide  and  been  rescued. 

A terrible  sin  which  is  not  unknown  in  Europe  is  some- 
times committed  by  Chinese  parents.  For  the  sake  of  gain 
they  will  marry  a daughter  to  a man  who  is  a hopeless 
cripple  or  lunatic,  or  otherwise  unsuited  to  a real  marriage. 

In  China  a woman  cannot  return  to  her  father’s  house 
after  an  unhappy  marriage.  Her  sisters-in-law  would  take 
good  care  of  that.  A father  divides  his  property  amongst  his 
boys,  and  gives  nothing  to  girls.  They  are  expected  to 
marry,  join  another  family,  and  stay  in  it. 


196  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

If  a wife  fails  to  have  a male  child  her  husband  can  take 
a concubine,  or  “ little  wife  ” ; but  this  is  only  done  by  men 
who  can  afford  it,  and  the  arrangement  seldom  conduces 
to  domestic  happiness.  The  Chinese  themselves  call  it 
“ sipping  vinegar,”  and  they  have  an  adage  which  says,  “If 
your  wife  is  against  it  do  not  take  a concubine.” 

But  if  Chinese  girls  and  women  are  in  other  respects 
defenceless,  they  can  generally  get  some  degree  of  justice  for 
themselves  by  the  nimble,  fiery  tongues  for  which  they  are 
famous.  Even  a mother-in-law  hesitates  to  raise  a domestic 
typhoon  by  provoking  a daughter-in-law  who  has  a gift  of 
abusive  language.  It  is  said  that  what  Chinese  women  have 
lost  in  the  compression  of  their  feet  is  made  up  in  the  expansion 
of  their  tongues.  And  when  their  tongues  tire  they  can  lift 
up  and  shake  the  corners  of  their  jackets  at  their  opponents 
in  contempt.  Who  shall  say  how  many  villages  in  China  are 
ruled  by  the  wives  or  concubines  of  village  headmen  so  called  ? 
When  they  have  a grievance  these  head-women  will  “ revile  the 
street  ” in  a way  that  intimidates  men  whose  feet  are  longer 
than  their  tongues.  A man  will  often  consult  his  wife  before 
taking  an  important  step  or  making  a bargain.  Then  age  is 
respected  in  women  as  well  as  in  men,  and  “ Give  heed  to  the 
voice  of  an  old  woman ; sorrow  has  given  her  wisdom,”  is 
a popular  saying.  The  greatest  mandarin  every  three 
months  puts  on  his  robes  of  ceremony  and  performs  in  the 
presence  of  his  mother  a series  of  prostrations.  It  might 
even  he  said  that  China  is  a “ hen-pecked  ” country. 

Habit  is  second  nature,  and  it  may  be  that  well-to-do  (?) 
Chinese  women,  being  used  to  a life  in  which  they  do  little 
more  than  smoke,  gossip,  and  visit  temples,  may  think  it  as 
well  worth  living  as  the  hurry  and  scurry  which  Western 
women  call  life. 

Abbe  Hue  tells  of  a Chinese  husband  who  beat  his  wife 
when  he  took  it  into  his  head  that  people  were  laughing  at 
him,  because  though  two  years  married  he  had  never  chastised 


197 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN 

the  lady.  Certainly  the  question,  “ Does  your  husband 
beat  you  ? ” is  often  put  to  English  married  ladies  by  Chinese 
women,  and  a negative  answer  invariably  excites  astonishment 
and  incredulity.  Who  knows  ? Chinese  ladies  may  consider 
castigation  a sign  of  friendly  interest  on  the  part  of  their 
husbands,  and  may  in  their  own  way  bo  happy  though 
married.  In  a modern  Pekingese  play,  one  of  the  characters, 
a widower,  describes  the  even  current  of  his  lato  married 
life  by  saying  that  he  and  his  wife  lived  together  as  host  and 
guest.  In  China,  as  in  other  countries,  tho  host-and-gucst 
kind  of  married  life  is  probably  more  common  than  the  cat- 
and-dog  variety. 

If  a Chinese  when  visiting  England,  instead  of  taking  a wido 
survey,  formed  his  judgment  of  its  domestic  life  from  police 
news  and  divorce-court  reports,  he  would  not  be  more 
unreasonable  than  are  Europeans,  who  say  that  all  Chinese 
women  are  miserable  because  they  have  known  a few  who 
were.  Eastern  women  do  not  desire  the  liberty  that  is 
attaining  alarming  proportions  in  the  West.  They  like  to 
have  a part  of  the  house  reserved  to  themselves,  where  they  can 
receive  female  friends  and  gossip  without  restraint.  Shock- 
ingly cruel  they  would  think  a husband  who  would  intrude 
upon  their  privacy  and  spy  out  their  actions. 

Chinese  girls  have  not  always  been  neglected,  at  least  in 
the  matter  of  advice.  Indeed,  several  volumes  have  been 
compiled  for  their  use.  In  one  of  these  they  are  told  that 
while  powdering  the  face  they  should  remember  that  the 
heart  must  be  kept  white  and  clean.  “ In  arranging  the 
head-dress,  consider  that  the  heart  needs  to  be  carefully 
regulated ; in  oiling  the  hair,  resolve  to  make  the  heart 
pliable  and  docile.”  The  girls  are  enjoined  to  learn  the  art 
of  cookery,  and  commanded  to  imitate  a certain  Empress  who 
always  superintended  the  preparation  of  the  dishes  which 
appeared  on  the  Emperor’s  table.  Another  lady  of  rank,  says 
the  same  authority,  used  to  go  into  her  kitchen  at  dawn  of 


198  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

day  and  prepare  gruel  for  her  servants,  ordering  them  to  eat 
it  before  they  began  their  work. 

There  have  been  Chinese  women  scholars,  and  even  authors. 
A woman  called  Pan  Chao  "wrote  the  first  work  in  any 
language  on  female  education.  In  this  she  says  that  girls 
and  women  should  be  decorous  and  unassuming,  modestly 
grave,  and  inviolably  chaste. 

Others  advise  women  to  be  not  only  humble  and  respectful 
but,  “as  though  always  in  fear  and  trembling,”  to  bear 
contumely,  and  to  swallow  insult.  “ If  their  mouths  are 
like  closed  doors,  their  words  will  become  proverbial ; but  if 
like  running  taps,  no  heed  will  be  paid  to  what  they  say.” 

If  a lady  sit  in  a carriage  beside  the  man  who  drives,  it 
must  be  next  to  the  hand  which  is  occupied  by  the  reins,  lest 
the  driver  should  put  his  arm  around  her  waist ! 

As  an  instance  of  how  earnestly  some  girls  desire  instruc- 
tion, Miss  Gordon  Cumming  mentions  that  the  first  pupil  of 
the  London  Mission  School  at  Peking  was  a girl  who  had 
disguised  herself  as  a boy. 

Though  respectable  Chinese  girls  have  no  experience  of  the 
joys  of  being  made  love  to,  and  would  consider  kissing  (it  is 
an  institution  unknown,  except  when  learned  from  foreigners) 
a disgusting  way  of  showing  affection,  they  have  a power 
which  is  theirs  by  natural  right.  A Chinese  who  had  suffered 
much  in  marriage  retired  with  his  infant  son  to  a mountain 
inaccessible  to  lily-footed  women.  He  never  spoke  even  of 
the  existence  of  woman  to  the  boy.  He  always  went  down  to 
the  market  alone,  until,  becoming  old  and  feeble,  he  was 
compelled  to  take  the  young  man  with  him  to  carry  the  bag 
of  rice.  He  argued  “ My  son  has  never  heard  of  women  and 
does  not  know  what  they  are.  If  he  does  see  one  of  them 
by  chance  I shall  take  care  that  he  does  not  speak  to  her.” 
As  they  were  on  the  first  occasion  leaving  the  market  town 
together,  the  son  suddenly  stopped,  and,  pointing  to  three 
approaching  objects,  inquired,  “ Father,  what  are  those 


GIRLS  AND  WOMEN  199 

things  ? ” The  father  cried  out,  “ Turn  away  your  head  ; 
they  arc  devils.”  The  son  turned  away  his  head  and  walked 
homo  in  silence.  From  that  day  when  he  had  seen  the 
things  and  they  had  looked  at  him  from  under  their  fans  ho 
lost  his  appetite  and  was  afflicted  with  melancholy.  For 
sorno  time  the  puzzled  parent  could  get  no  satisfactory  answer 
to  his  inquiries;  but  at  length  the  young  man  burst  out, 
almost  crying,  “ Oh,  father,  that  tallest  devil ! that  tallest 
devil!” 

Beautiful  women  are  called  in  China  not  only  flowers  and 
jewels,  but  the  destroyers  of  cities  and  of  empires.  Of  some 
of  these  beauties  it  was  said  that  when  they  washed  their 
hands  (with  perfumed  soap  ?)  they  scented  the  water,  that 
they  shamed  the  flowers  themselves,  and  that  one  of  them 
compelled  the  moon  to  hide  her  face.  Another,  if  she  did 
not  shame  the  flowers,  made  them  dance  when  she  sang,  so 
sweet  was  her  breath. 

A beauty  called  Si- Si  had  the  habit  of  laying  her  hand 
upon  her  heart.  Another  woman,  thinking  that  it  was  this 
gesture  which  charmed,  imitated  it  and  got  laughed  at  for  her 
trouble.  She  overlooked  the  fact  that  it  is  what  is  natural, 
and  not  what  is  forced  which  is  beautiful. 

For  another  celebrated  beauty  the  Emperor  Han-Wou-Ti 
built  a crystal  palace.  Other  beauties  had  every  step  they 
took  sheltered  with  gauze  umbrellas  and  screens  of  pearls. 


CHAPTER  XX 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA 


Germ  of  competitive  examinations  in  China — The  exceptions  to  those  who 
can  compete — Respect  for  learning — An  examination  enclosure — Severity 
of  competition— Honours  for  those  who  succeed — The  examiners  “ wash 
their  hearts  ” — Pons  asinorum — The  last  made  first — Cheating — Tracts 
distributed  by  the  charitable  rich— A noble  maxim — Parables  and  novels 
with  a purpose — Chess — An  elegant  present — Reverence^he  characters — 
Lettered-paper  societies — Large  books — Penny  dreadfuls — Ignorance 
in  excelsis — Western  knowledge — Christianity  wanted. 

THE  Chinese  had  competitive  examinations  as  a means 
by  which  each  capable  member  of  “ the  learned 
proletariat  ” might  climb  the  political  and  social  ladder 
twelve  centuries  before  appointments  in  Great  Britain  were 
given  in  this  way.  The  germ  of  the  system  was  such  maxims 
of  the  ancients  as  “ Bend  the  mulberry-tree  when  it  is  young,” 
“ "Without  education  in  the  families  how  are  governors  for  the 
people  to  be  obtained  ? ” “ The  General  and  the  Prime 

Minister  are  not  born  in  office.”  Offices  are  now  sold  to  the 
highest  bidder,  but  in  theory  the  possession  of  a degree 
qualifies  any  man  to  be  employed  by  the  State.  The  only 
people  who  are  precluded  from  competing  for  degrees  are 
actors,  barbers,  boatmen,  executioners,  descendants  of 
prostitutes,  and  those  who  prepare  corpses  for  burial. 

Three  degrees  are  given.  The  first  and  lowest  is  called 
by  two  words  which  may  be  translated  “ Budding  Talent.” 
The  second  is  “ Promoted  Man,”  and  the  third  and  highest 

300 


Entrance  to  a Provincial  Examination  Hall. 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA  201 

“ Advanced  Scholar.”  The  first  and  second  degree  is  com- 
peted for  in  the  provinces,  the  third  only  in  Peking.  To  be 
selected  by  the  Emperor  as  the  best  of  the  successful  com- 
petitors in  Peking  is  thought  more  of  in  China  than  it  would 
be  with  us  if  a man  became  all  at  onco  Senior  Wrangler, 
First  Classic,  Poet  Laureate,  and  possible  Prime  Minister  of 
England. 

Respect  for  learning  is  diffused  by  this  examination  system, 
for  the  literati,  or  those  who  have  taken  degrees,  arc  the 
highest  of  the  four  classes  into  which  the  people  of  China  arc 
divided.  They  have  the  right  of  entree  into  the  presence  of 
officials,  and  they  affect  a peculiar  swing  of  body,  not  to  say 
swagger,  with  the  object,  no  doubt,  of  showing  that  they  can 
go  anywhere.  It  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  these  aristocrats 
to  engage  in  trade,  but  they  are  not  above  picking  up  dis- 
honest gains  at  yamens  in  which  they  get  if  not  an  official  at 
least  a tolerated  footing.  Not  one  in  a score  obtains  an  office, 
but  they  all  belong  to  the  literary  class  and  share  in  its 
dignity  and  privileges. 

An  examination  for  degrees  takes  place  every  third  year  at 
Peking  and  at  the  provincial  capitals.  The  examination 
enclosure  at  Canton  contains  eleven  thousand  six  hundred 
and  seventy-three  things  like  bathing-boxes  or  cattle-pens 
arranged  in  streets,  each  street  being  named,  and  each  coll 
numbered.  The  examination  lasts  nine  days,  but  the  time  is 
divided  into  three  parts,  and  a day  intervenes  between  each 
part.  In  each  cell  a student  works  for  three  days  at  a time. 
The  cell  or  box,  which  is  only  six  feet  long  by  three  broad,  is 
provided  with  two  boards,  one  of  which  acts  as  a seat,  the 
other  a table  upon  which  to  write.  At  night  the  man  being 
examined  makes  a bed  by  placing  the  table  on  a level  with 
the  seat.  Rations  are  provided  by  Government,  and  they 
are  thinking  of  lighting  by  electricity  these  old  college 
cabins. 

During  the  time  when  an  examination  is  held  in  it  a 


202  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Chinese  city  has  a far  more  animated  appearance  than  has 
a British  one  when  visited  by  a Church  Congress  or  by  a 
great  scientific  association.  From  twenty  to  thirty  thousand 
strangers  from  all  parts  of  the  province  seek  for  temporary 
quarters.  There  will  he  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand  or  even 
more  competitors,  and  the  rich  ones  will  have  each  his  pipe- 
bearer  and  three  or  more  other  servants.  Infectious  disease 
is  not  seldom  spread  by  the  crowds  that  assemble  on  these 
occasions.  At  a recent  examination  at  Canton  a candidate 
died  of  cholera  in  his  cell. 

To  honour  those  who  soonest  answer  the  questions  and 
finish  the  two  essays  and  one  poem  that  are  given  to  all  the 
candidates,  the  large  middle  door  of  the  examination  estab- 
lishment is  opened  for  their  exit,  and  they  are  saluted  by 
three  cannon.  So  great  is  the  competition  at  these  exami- 
nations that  at  a recent  one  there  were  fourteen  hundred 
candidates  and  only  ninety-six  “leaped  the  Dragon  Gate,”  or 
qualified  for  a degree.  There  are  Chinese  who  spend  almost 
all  their  lives  in  a vain  attempt  to  win  a degree.  They  wear 
larger  and  larger  spectacles  so  as  to  appear  more  and  more 
wise,  but  they  fail  to  graduate.  To  reward  those  who  think 
that  it  is  never  too  late  to  learn,  the  Emperor  confers  the 
highest  degree  upon  candidates  of  good  character  who  have 
won  the  two  former  degrees,  and  who  have  tried  unsuccess- 
fully for  the  highest  until  they  have  reached  the  age  of 
ninety  ! 

When  a man  obtains  the  degree  of  Sau  Tsoi  (B.A.),  large 
placards  are  sent  to  his  friends  announcing  his  success. 
These  placards  are  frequently  posted  outside  the  house  of  the 
recipient  to  show  his  pride  at  being  able  to  claim  friendship 
with  so  distinguished  a person. 

Great  is  the  ovation  that  is  awarded  to  a successful  candidate 
on  returning  homo.  Feasts  are  given,  bands  of  music  and  pro- 
cessions parade  the  streets.  The  hero  of  the  hour,  wearing 
square-toed  boots,  a gilt  flower-like  ornament  in  his  cap,  and 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA 


203 


across  his  chest  and  back  tho  bands  of  light-red  silk  that  indicato 
his  new  dignity,  is  told  by  overy  one  that  he  is  an  honour  to  his 
parents,  to  the  school  in  which  he  learned,  and  to  the  city  or 
village  of  his  birth.  His  parents  are  publicly  thanked  by  the 
civic  authorities  for  having  given  birth  to  so  talented  a son. 

Conspicuous  in  a Chinese  landscape  arc  tall  things  like 
masts,  each  having  near  the  top  a triangular  boarding  that  at 
a distance  resembles  the  nest  of  a large  bird.  These  are 
graduate  poles,  and  they  are  put  up  in  pairs  opposite  tho 
ancestral  hall  of  a family  when  one  of  its  members  takes  a 
degree.  They  are  never  renewed  but  are  allowed  to  decay 
and  fall  down.  A graduate  may  also  place  a tablet  over  his 
door  to  inform  people  that  he  has  attained  to  this  literary 
success. 

The  main  gate  of  the  Confucian  temple  at  Nanking  is 
opened  only  for  the  Senior  Wrangler  of  the  year  and  for  the 
Emperor. 

To  insure  impartiality  the  essays  and  poems  of  candidates 
arc  transcribed  in  red  ink  by  copyists,  and  the  examiners 
never  see  the  originals.  Before  business  begins  the  examiners 
“ wash  their  hearts  ” by  vowing  solemnly  in  a building  called 
“ The  Temple  of  Perfect  Justice  ” that  they  will  examine 
honestly.  And  yet  the  justice  of  some  of  them  is,  to  say  the 
least,  imperfect.  Even  the  Government  allows  persons  who 
have  more  money  than  brains  to  purchase  the  privilege  of 
wearing,  like  the  literati,  a certain  button  on  their  caps,  and 
of  being  exempt  from  arrest  and  corporal  punishment. 

The  eighteen  sub-examiners  have  their  rooms  behind  the 
cells  of  the  students,  and  across  a small  canal  is  the  office  of 
the  Lord  Examiner.  A “Bed  Flying  Bridge”  makes  com- 
munication. Only  those  essays  and  answers  to  questions 
which  are  deemed  worthy  by  the  assistant  examiners  are  sent 
across  this  bridge,  truly  a pons  asinorum.  Dollars  and  taels, 
however,  can  “ buy  a recommendation,”  and  get  a com- 
paratively worthless  essay  or  poem  across. 


204  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

In  1894  the  Emperor  astonished  and  frightened  the 
examining  board  who  had  looked  over  the  essays  and  poems, 
by  examining  them  again  himself.  There  were  two  hundred 
and  eight  competitors,  and  it  took  him  three  whole  days  to 
accomplish  the  task.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  list  was 
turned  nearly  upside  down,  for  three  men  placed  amongst  the 
last  by  the  examining  hoard,  were  now  marked  out  by  the 
Emperor  as  among  the  six  entitled  to  the  highest  places. 

On  going  into  the  examination  candidates  arc  searched, 
but  only  in  a perfunctory  way,  and  there  are  the  “ padding  ” 
and  other  methods  by  which  things  are  made  easy.  “ Sleeve 
editions  ” of  the  classics  concealed  in  the  sleeves  are  used 
as  “ cribs.”  Poor  scholars  for  a certain  price  personate  their 
employers  at  the  examinations.  A good  trade  is  done  in 
forged  diplomas. 

The  two  chief  examiners  sent  to  a provincial  city  are 
escorted  to  the  examination  hall  by  the  local  magnates,  by 
bands,  and  by  soldiers.  Each  is  borne  by  eight  men  in  an 
open  sedan  chair,  the  scat  of  which  is  covered  by  a tiger’s 
skin.  Before  each  chair  are  carried,  under  a richly  carved 
pavilion  of  wood,  the  learned  man’s  commission  and  seal  of 
office. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  paying  respect  to  the  literary 
chancellor  and  his  subordinates  the  newly-mado  graduate 
sacrifices  very  early  in  the  morning,  gets  into  his  official 
clothes,  and  starts  for  the  yamen.  Graduates  of  the  first 
degree  enter  the  presence  of  the  literary  chancellor  together 
and  arrange  themselves  in  order  before  him.  Then  at  the 
word  of  command  of  the  master  of  ceremonies  they  kneel 
simultaneously  and  bow  their  heads  to  the  ground  three  times. 
This  ceremony  ended,  the  graduates  take  wine  with  the  high 
officials  assembled  to  do  them  honour. 

Abb6  Hue  relates  the  following  : During  his  residence  in 
South  China,  having  occasion  to  dispatch  a messenger  to 
Peking,  he  asked  a schoolmaster,  whose  home  was  in  the 


205 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA 

capital,  if  he  would  like  to  send  a letter  to  his  mother.  The 
schoolmaster  called  to  a boy  who  was  singing  his  lesson  in 
the  next  room,  “ Here,  take  this  paper,  and  write  a letter  to 
my  mother.  Lose  no  time,  for  the  courier  is  going  at  once.” 
This  struck  the  Abbe  as  peculiar,  and  he  inquired  if  the  lad 
were  acquainted  with  tho  teacher’s  mother.  Being  informed 
that  the  boy  did  not  even  know  before  that  such  a person 
existed,  Hue  asked,  “ How,  then,  does  he  know  what  to  say?  ” 
To  this  the  schoolmaster  made  tho  conclusive  reply,  “For 
more  than  a year  he  has  been  studying  literary  composition, 
and  he  is  acquainted  with  a number  of  elegant  formulae,  how 
then  could  he  not  know  how  a son  should  write to-a  mother?  ” 
The  pupil  soon  returned  with  the  letter,  not  only  all  written, 
but  sealed  up,  the  teacher  having  merely  signed  his  name. 
The  letter  would  have  done  for  any  other  mother  in  the 
Empire,  and  any  other  mother  w’ould  have  been  equally 
pleased  to  receive  it. 

In  recent  years  essays  composed  by  putting  together  scraps 
remembered  from  the  classics,  in  much  the  same  way  as  we 
used  to  make  Latin  verses,  are  no  longer  required.  Com- 
petitors are  now  allowed  to  write  their  themes  in  a natural 
and  not  in  an  artificial,  stilted  style. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  the  Chinese  system  of  education, 
though  more  absurd  than  ours,  develops  greatly  the  memory. 
Mr.  E.  H.  Parker,  who  was  Consul  in  many  parts  of  China, 
tells  us  that  the  commonest  Chinaman  can  trace  his  descent 
back  by  memory  for  from  two  to  five  hundred  years,  or  even 
more  by  referring  to  his  “ genealogy  ” book  at  home. 

Until  recently,  in  order  to  become  a master  or  doctor  of 
war,  a Chinese  military  man  had  at  full  gallop  to  hit  a target 
with  an  arrow  six  times  in  succession,  wield  an  iron-handled 
battle-axe,  and  lift  stone-loaded  beams.  Military  education 
has  now  been  brought  more  up  to  date,  though  it  never  was 
as  absurd  as  the  British  system  of  examining  embryo  officers 
in  Greek  and  Roman  classics. 


206  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

But  it  is  not  only  human  beings  who  are  supposed  by  the 
Chinese  to  pass  literary  examinations.  Snakes,  turtles, 
tortoises,  crabs,  lobsters,  and  all  kinds  of  water  reptiles  are 
regarded  as  dragons  in  lower  degrees  of  existence.  By 
success  at  a great  triennial  examination  held  by  the  king  of 
the  dragons,  they  attain  the  form,  size,  and  position  of  perfect 
dragons. 

There  is  in  China  what  may  be  called  a University  Ex- 
tension movement.  Some  of  those  who  have  themselves 
passed  competitive  examinations  in  the  classics  admire  the 
teaching  so  much  that  they  pay  men  to  expound  it  in  open- 
air  lectures  in  the  streets.  These  men  and  the  public  readers, 
who  work  on  their  own  account,  select  a street  corner  or 
some  other  public  place,  read  aloud  passages  from  the  classics, 
and  comment  upon  them.  At  intervals  a pause  is  made  to 
take  up  a collection. 

Literati  also  write  tracts  urging  people  to  reform  their  lives, 
and  these  are  bought  and  distributed  by  the  charitable  rich. 
In  a collection  of  these  tracts  called  “ Sayings  of  the  Wise,” 
may  be  found  the  noble  maxim,  “ Only  practise  good  works, 
and  ask  no  questions  about  your  future  destiny,”  and  the 
encouraging  assurance,  “ Human  desires  can  be  broken  off ; 
Heaven’s  laws  can  be  observed.” 

Fables  and  novels  with  a purpose  are  much  used  for 
instruction  in  China.  The  following  fable,  which  is  directed 
against  avarice,  is  well  known.  A priest  had  a collection  of 
jewels  to  which  he  was  constantly  adding,  and  of  which  he 
was  very  proud.  A friend  to  whom  he  one  day  showed  them, 
after  feasting  his  eyes  for  some  time,  thanked  the  priest  for 
the  jewels.  “But  I have  not  given  them  to  you,”  was  the 
hasty  explanation.  “Well,”  replied  the  friend,  “ I have  at 
least  had  as  much  pleasure  from  seeing  them  as  you  can 
have,  and  the  only  difference  between  us  is  that  you  have 
the  trouble  of  guarding  them.” 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  any  nation  pays  as  much 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA 


207 


respect  to  tho  things  of  the  mintl  as  tho  Chinese.  Instead 
of  playing  golf  or  cricket  or  football,  Chinese  literary  folk 
recreate  themselves  with  poetical  tournaments.  Sometimes 
they  will  condescend  to  chess  as  it  is  played  in  China,  that 
is  with  three  hundred  and  sixty-one  pawns,  divided  into  two 
camps,  one  white  and  tho  other  black.  Once  a Chinese 
Emperor  asked  a statesman  why  ho  wasted  at  chess  time 
which  might  he  more  profitably  employed.  The  statesman 
answered  that  the  moments  during  which  a man  forgets  his 
worries  are  the  most  precious  of  all. 

Young  men  preparing  for  degree  examinations  form  them- 
selves into  reading  parties,  and  literary  clubs  are  got  up  for 
mutual  help  and  criticism  in  the  composition  of  essays  and 
poems.  On  the  occasion  of  a birthday  or  marriage  no  present 
is  considered  so  elegant  as  a pair  of  scrolls  inscribed  with  a 
complimentary  distich.  No  wonder  that  in  China  pens 
(small  brushes),  ink,  paper,  and  ink-slabs  are  called  the 
“ four  precious  things.” 

A Chinaman  is  fond  of  money,  but  he  respects  learning  and 
literature  far  more.  A merchant  called  Liu  Hsin  offered 
Yang  Hsiung  100,000  cash  merely  to  mention  his  name  in 
a philosophical  treatise  of  his.  The  author  replied  with 
scorn  that  a stag  in  a pen  or  an  ox  in  a cage  would  not  be 
more  out  of  place  than  a man  with  nothing  but  money  to 
recommend  him  in  the  sacred  pages  of  a book.  The  most 
notable  men  in  a neighbourhood  are  not  the  wealthy,  but  the 
learned. 

The  Chinese  pay  much  attention  to  what  we  would  call 
penmanship,  and  use  the  beautiful  characters  of  their 
language  for  ornamental  purposes.  They  do  not  dash  off 
notes  as  we  do,  but  write  them  with  the  greatest  care  on  fine 
paper  of  various  colours,  called  “ flowered  leaves.” 

When  letters  were  invented,  the  Chinese  say,  “ Heaven 
rejoiced  and  hell  trembled.”  Confucius  told  them  to 
“ Reverence  the  characters.”  On  account  of  the  power 


208  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

which  they  exercise  upon  life  and  conduct,  great  respect  is 
shown  to  Chinese  letters  or  characters,  and  to  every  bit  of 
paper  upon  which  they  have  been  written,  printed,  or  stamped. 
It  is  said,  “ If  one  protects  the  eyes  of  the  sages  ( i.e .,  Chinese 
characters),  it  is  just  the  same  as  protecting  his  own  eyes 
from  becoming  blind.”  Those  who  do  not  reverence  lettered 
paper  are  no  better  than  a “ blind  buffalo.”  They  will 
receive  the  heaviest  punishment  of  hell,  and  will  be  born 
blind  when  they  come  into  the  world  the  next  time.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  who  collects  and  burns  lettered  paper,  or 
forbids  another  to  wipe  anything  with  it,  or  to  throw  it  into 
dirty  water  or  on  the  ground,  or  distributes  tracts  on  rever- 
encing lettered  paper  — such  a one  will  add  years  to  his 
life,  will  become  honoured  and  wealthy,  and  will  have  filial 
children  and  grandchildren.  One  tract  says  that  characters 
must  not  be  stamped  upon  the  soles  of  shoes,  as  they  would 
be  trampled  upon. 

In  1875  a denunciation  by  the  literary  chancellor 
was  posted  on  the  walls  of  Foochow  of  the  “ dis- 
respect exhibited  towards  the  written  character  by  shop- 
keepers, who,  in  shameless  disregard  of  propriety  and  ancient 
custom,  have  the  audacity  to  print  words  upon  the  papers 
and  wrappers  used  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  the 
character  being  thus  often  torn  and  soiled  in  a way  that 
excites  one’s  strongest  indignation.” 

The  worst  thing  in  the  conduct  of  Westerners,  as  seen  by 
the  Chinese,  is  their  want  of  reverence  for  lettered  paper. 

There  are  lettered-paper  societies  in  China,  that  employ 
men  to  go  about  and  gather  lettered  paper  from  the  ground 
or  from  any  place  where  it  may  be  desecrated.  The  societies 
also  build  furnaces  in  shape  like  a small  house  or  a pagoda, 
generally  outside  temples,  for  burning  the  lettered  paper 
which  their  agents  collect.  The  ashes  are  carefully  kept 
until  a largo  quantity  have  accumulated.  They  arc  then 
put  into  baskets,  and  carried  by  members  of  the  society, 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA  209 

having  on  their  best  clothes  and  lightod  incense-sticks  in 
their  right  hands  and  accompanied  by  a band,  to  tho  nearest 
large  river,  and  into  this  they  are  poured.  Until  this  was 
explained  to  mo,  I was  surprised  on  coming  to  China  to  sec 
paper  stuck  into  crevices  in  trees,  and  at  streot  corners  small 
boxes  fastened  up  containing  scraps  of  paper.  Were  the 
Chinese  such  a tidy  nation  ? The  boxes  have  over  them 
four  characters  which  mean  “Reverence  Lettered  Paper,’’ 
and  are  intended  to  hold  scraps  of  paper  which  people  pick 
up  in  the  street. 

Every  Chinese  volume  is  composed  of  smooth  drab  papers, 
and  is  stitched  with  silk.  Volumes  to  the  number  of  ten  or 
so  are  kept  in  a case  covered  with  flowered  satin.  One 
history  of  China  consists  of  three  hundred  brochures  or 
thin  volumes.  There  are  probably  more  books  stored  and 
sold  in  Peking  than  in  any  other  city  in  the  world.  An  en- 
cyclopaedia of  three  thousand  volumes  was  burned  by  the 
Boxers.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  thousands  of  villages 
and  many  good-sized  towns  in  China  where  a book  could 
not  be  bought. 

Many  of  the  cheap  books  now  printed  contain  the  filthiest 
jests.  You  see  the  punkah-puller  outside  an  office  in  Hong 
Kong,  holding  one  of  these  “ penny  dreadfuls  ” in  his  hands 
and  pulling  the  rope  of  the  punkah  with  his  toes. 

Even  now  there  is  in  the  interior  of  China  as  much  ignor- 
ance about  Western  habits  and  sciences  as  there  is  with  us  in 
reference  to  things  Chinese.  One  high  official,  when  sent  to 
Europe,  brought  a large  quantity  of  salt  with  him,  because  he 
thought  there  was  none  there.  Another  being  asked  what 
he  thought  of  Dr.  Martin’s  “ Evidences  of  Christianity,” 
replied  that  the  scientific  part  of  the  work  he  accepted,  but 
the  religious  sections,  in  which  it  is  said  that  the  earth 
revolves  around  the  sun,  was  more  than  he  could  believe  ! 
In  an  argument  about  a coal-mine,  a high  official  at  Peking 
spoke  of  growing  coal,  and  said  that  its  rate  of  growth  was 

14 


210  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


not  known.  A man  who  had  purchased  to  himself  a good 
degree,  asked  a missionary,  “ Can  your  ships  sail  to  the 
moon  ? ” If  the  average  Chinese  graduate  be  asked  whether 
he  knows  where  England,  France,  Russia,  and  America  are, 
he  replies,  “ What  advantage  would  it  be  ? I am  not 
intending  to  travel.” 

Still,  China  is  waking  up,  too  soon  perhaps  for  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  Westerners,  who,  if  they  were  wise, 
would  let  sleeping  dogs  lie.  In  1898  the  Celestial  Empire 
learned  with  amazement  of  an  Imperial  decision  that  hence- 
forth the  leading  features  of  Western  science  were  to  be 
included  with  the  Chinese  classics  in  the  examination  for 
degrees  programme.  The  decree  was  rescinded  by  the 
Empress-Dowager,  but  even  she  cannot  prevent  the  tide  of 
knowledge  from  flowing  into  China.  At  the  examination 
for  degrees  lately  held  in  the  city  of  Chao-Chow,  in  the 
province  of  Kwanton,  the  two  candidates  who  headed  the 
list  had  been  teachers  of  missionaries — an  illustration,  by  the 
way,  of  the  indirect  influence  of  missionaries.  From  the 
missionaries  the  candidates  had  picked  up  information  which 
enabled  them  to  answer  the  questions  set  about  things 
Western.  At  this  examination  the  following  were  asked  : 
“ What  are  the  five  continents  of  the  world  ? ” “ Name  the 

highest  mountain  and  the  longest  river.”  “ Discuss  the 
difference  between  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Protestant 
religions.”  “Explain  Free  Trade  and  Protection.”  “How 
do  foreigners  regulate  the  press,  post-office,  commerce, 
railways,  banks,  banknotes,  taxation  ; and  how  do  they  get 
faithful  men?”  “Wherein  lies  the  naval  supremacy  of 
Great  Britain  ? ” 

At  another  examination  these  questions  wore  asked : 
‘ ‘ Which  Western  nations  have  paid  most  attention  to 
education?”  “State  the  leading  features  of  the  military 
systems  of  Great  Britain,  Germany,  Russia,  and  France.” 
“Which  nation  is  the  best  coloniser?” 


EDUCATION  IN  CHINA 


211 


Three  out  of  the  nine  days  of  the  last  examination  for 
degrees  at  Canton  were  devoted  to  European  history  during 
the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries.  Two  of  the 
subject  for  essays  were,  “ How  can  Russia  best  invade 
India?”  “ Compare  the  philosophy  of  Bacon  and  of  Descartes, 
and  say  which,  in  your  opinion,  would  more  improve  China.” 
One  candidate  is  said  to  have  made  good  marks  by  writing 
out  and  commenting  upon  the  Ten  Commandments  as  a basis 
for  law. 

A considerable  number  of  well-educated  young  men  belong- 
ing to  influential  Chinese  families  arc  being  sent  from  time 
to  time  to  Japan,  the  United  States,  and  Europe,  to  study 
these  countries  and  gain  knowledge  that  may  benefit  their 
countrymen.  Large  numbers  of  foreign  teachers  are  em- 
ployed in  China,  and  the  “ language  without  a teacher,”  or 
Western  books  ably  translated,  sell  in  large  quantities. 
Even  for  girls,  schools  are  being  provided,  and  in  one  of 
them,  got  up  by  an  enlightened  mandarin,  the  scholars  have 
to  unbind  their  feet. 

Thoughtful  Chinese  are  now  afraid  that  the  present  zeal 
for  acquiring  Western  science  may  prevent  Chinese  classics, 
particularly  the  works  of  Confucius,  from  being  studied. 
And  without  the  proprieties  enjoined  by  that  sage,  the  rising 
generation  will  be,  they  think,  no  better  than  hooligans.  If 
the  classics  are  neglected  they  say  there  will  be  no  reverence 
for  age,  or  for  parents,  and  mandarins  will  rage  like  tigers. 
Let  us  hope  that  the  sweet  reasonableness  of  Christianity 
may  prevent  consequences  like  these. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


CHINESE  MANNERS 


Polished  and  punctilious— Would  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  have  had  a 
similar  effect? — “Let  your  movements  be  graceful  and  deliberate” — 
“Short  measure Politeness  before  force” — Easy  to  be  rude — 
“Little  bit  lie  pidgin” — Salutations — A formal  call — “Neither  boast 
nor  grumble” — Tea-drinking — “Go  slowly ’’-Foot-binding — “She 
more  quiet” — Uncut  nails — Polite  attention — Friendly  interest — Pose 
and  attitude — “ In  honour  preferring  one  another  ” — A missionary’s 
mistake. 

HEN  I used  to  hear  people  who  had  just  come  to 


China  saying  to  a servant,  “ Boy,  boy,”  in  contemp- 
tuous tones,  and  never  thanking  the  boy  for  service  rendered, 
I was  tempted  to  ask,  “ Do  you  know  to  whom  you  are 
speaking  ? Arc  you  aware  that  that  boy  belongs  to  a nation 
that  was  highly  civilised  when  the  British  were  savages ; to  a 
nation  that  has  probably  forgotten  as  much  as  we  ever 
knew  ? ” 

Nor  can  any  one  detect  the  want  of  self-restraint  that 
constitutes  bad  manners  quicker  than  can  a Chinaman.  He 
may  say  nothing,  but  he  makes  a mental  note  of  it.  When 
the  Chinese  have  not  been  spoiled  by  intercourse  with 
foreigners  they  are  polished  and  punctilious.  Not  in  Hong 
Kong,  of  course,  where  so  many  of  us  lose  manners,  but  in 
the  interior  of  China,  if  one  chair-coolie  knock  up  against 
another,  he  will  ask  his  pardon.  Respect  is  always  paid  to 
a burden.  Should  even  a mandarin  when  walking  meet  a 


212 


CHINESE  MANNERS 


213 


porter  carrying  one,  he  will  step  aside  and  make  his  retinue 
do  the  same.  An  English  engineer  told  me  that  the  civility 
of  junk-men  in  moving  their  junks  when  ho  wanted  an  un- 
impeded sight  for  surveying  astonished  him. 

If  you  are  mobbed  in  a Chinese  town,  you  should  look 
straight  at  one  or  two  of  the  people  and  say,  “ Your  parents 
did  not  pay  much  attention  to  your  manners ; they  did  not 
teach  you  the  rules  of  propriety.”  A remark  like  this  will 
make  the  crowd  slink  away  one  by  one,  quite  ashamed  of 
themselves. 

A missionary  who  asked  his  way,  was  answered  only  by  the 
jeers  and  hooting  of  a crowd  that  had  collected  round  him. 
Turning  to  them  he  asked,  in  excellent  Chinese,  “ Do  you 
thus  observe  the  injunction  of  your  ancient  writers,  to  treat 
kindly  the  stranger  from  afar  ? Are  you  ignorant  that  Confucius 
said  that  what  we  would  not  have  done  to  ourselves  wo 
should  not  do  to  others?”  In  an  instant  the  mood  of  the 
crowd  changed,  the  old  men  bowed  approvingly,  and  a number 
of  young  ones  jumped  forward  to  show  the  way.  Would  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  if  quoted  in  English  by  a Chinese  in  a 
London  or  New  York  street,  have  the  same  effect  upon  an 
excited  mob  ? 

A book  containing  three  thousand  rules  of  behaviour  is 
studied  in  Chinese  schools,  so  that  a well-taught  lad  knows 
what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it  on  each  occasion,  and  he 
goes  through  the  prescribed  forms  as  a soldier  does  his 
drill. 

The  second  of  these  rules  is,  “Let  your  movements  be 
graceful  and  deliberate.”  People  who  could  frame  a rule  like 
this  cannot  see  the  poetry  of  motion  that  we  see  in  our 
athletic  games  and  dances. 

A Chinaman  w’as  in  doubt  as  to  whether  another  were  a 
gentleman  or  not.  His  dress  and  general  appearance  made 
him  think  that  he  was.  One  wret  day,  however,  he  saw  the 
man  gather  up  his  fine  clothes  and  leap  over  a puddle.  Here 


214  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


was  proof  positive,  for  no  gentleman  would  do  such  an 
undignified  thing. 

Seeing  an  English  lady  jumping  about  at  tennis,  a China- 
man asked  how  much  she  was  paid  for  doing  so.  Being  told 
that  she  was  a lady  of  independent  means,  his  next  question 
was,  “ Why  does  she  not  hire  a coolie  to  jump  for  her?  ” 

Chinese  etiquette  will  not  allow  people  to  hasten  even  to 
get  away  from  rain.  A mandarin  who  had  jumped  a ditch  in 
his  efforts  to  escape  a heavy  shower,  was  greatly  annoyed 
when  he  found  that  a boy  had  witnessed  the  performance, 
and  paid  him  largely  to  keep  secret  the  deed  of  shame. 

Bulkiness  of  figure  in  a man,  but  not  in  a woman,  is 
admired,  perhaps  because  it  suggests  gravity  of  demeanour. 
Any  undersized  individual  who  does  not  fill  his  chair  well, 
they  jocularly  style  “ Short  Measure.” 

The  ideal  of  Confucius  was  moderation  or  the  “Just 
Medium.”  The  superior  man,  in  manner  and  in  everything 
else,  “ turns  to  scorn  the  madness  of  extremes.”  Though 
not  wanting  in  energy,  he  considers  hurry  and  impatience 
vulgar.  His  favourite  maxim  is,  “ Politeness  before  force,” 
for  he  trusts  much  to  concession  and  conciliation. 

Owing  to  their  complex  ceremonial  code  the  Chinese  can 
show  disrespect  to,  say,  a foreign  diplomatist,  by  methods 
such  as  the  manner  of  writing,  folding,  or  addressing  a letter, 
or  the  omission  of  any  one  of  a multitude  of  simple  acts 
which  we  would  consider  of  little  importance. 

Talking  of  the  difference  between  Britishers  and  Chinese, 
one  of  the  latter  remarked,  “ Chinese  gentleman  every  time 
very  polite.  For  example,  where  English  doctor  man  say, 
‘ You  puttee  this  poultice  on  small  of  your  back,’  Chinese 
doctor  say,  ‘ This  concoction  of  simples  will  have  the  felicity 
of  reposing  upon  the  distinguished  small  of  your  honourable 
back.’  ” 

A Chinese  will  never  mind  “ little  bit  lie  pidgin  ” in  order 
to  be  polite.  A direct  refusal  he  thinks  rude,  so  he  promises 


CHINESE  MANNERS 


215 


readily  and  trusts  to  his  ingenuity  to  escape  having  to 
perform.  This  gives  the  impression  that  he  has  an  abstract 
love  of  falsehood. 

When  one  gentleman  meets  another  he  asks,  “ Have  you 
eaten  your  rice?”  which  is  equivalent  to  our  “How  do  you 
do  ? ” If  the  acquaintance  has  breakfasted  or  dined  lie 
answers,  “ Beg  pardon,  I have.”  That  is,  he  begs  his  friend 
to  forgive  his  rudeness  in  anticipating  him  in  eating.  Should 
one  of  the  friends  bo  on  horseback  he  will  say,  “I  will  get 
off  and  you  will  mount,”  meaning  nothing  by  the  proposal, 
for  he  knows  that  the  friend  encountered  is  going  in  the 
opposite  direction.  If,  however,  those  who  ride  are  in  a 
hurry  they  do  not  recognise  each  other  on  the  road,  even 
though  they  are  friends.  If  they  did,  etiquette  would  require 
very  lengthy  salutations.  Hence  the  injunction,  “ Salute  no 
man  by  the  way.” 

Should  a man  see  an  acquaintance  at  a restaurant  it  is 
good  manners  to  send  a boy  or  waiter  to  tell  him  that  he  will 
pay  the  bill — another  of  these  unmeant  proposals. 

The  ceremonial  to  be  observed  in  making  a formal  call  is 
laid  down  in  the  “ Book  of  Rites,”  one  of  the  classical  works 
most  reverenced  in  China.  The  slightest  departure  from  the 
rules  of  this  book  subjects  the  culprit  to  the  greatly  dreaded 
rebuke,  “He  does  not  know  the  Proprieties,”  or  “He  is  a 
not-know-the-Rites-man . ’ ’ 

When  going  to  pay  a visit,  which  is  done  in  the  morning, 
a Chinese  wears  his  best  clothes,  is  carried  in  a chair  by  four 
coolies,  and  is  preceded  by  a servant.  A person  of  little 
importance  must  get  out  of  his  chair  and  walk  from  the  outer 
courtyard,  his  immediate  superior  from  the  next  court,  and  so 
on,  in  accordance  with  prescribed  etiquette.  The  servant 
who  goes  before  carries  above  his  head  the  visiting-card  of 
his  master,  which  is  a piece  of  red  paper  about  eight  inches 
long  and  three  inches  wide.  On  it  is  written  the  visitor’s 
name  and  sometimes  such  an  addition  as  this  : “Your  humble 


216  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Servant”  (literally,  “Stupid  younger  brother”)  “bows  his 
head  in  salutation.”  If  the  master  of  the  house  is  engaged 
he  does  not  lie  about  not  being  at  home,  but  simply  sends  his 
card  and  a message  that  he  is  engaged.  If  he  can  see  the 
visitor  he  comes  out,  bows  many  times,  asks  how  he  can 
presume  to  receive  his  honourable  footsteps,  and  edges  him 
to  a seat  of  honour  in  the  reception-room.  On  this  the 
visitor  sits,  but  not  until  he  has  coquetted  about  the  room  in 
an  ecstasy  of  humility  for  the  length  of  time  prescribed. 

It  is  proper  to  inquire  about  the  father  of  the  man  you 
visit  in  terms  such  as  these:  “Does  the  honourable  great 
man  enjoy  happiness  ? ” Should  you  ask,  “ How  many 
worthy  young  gentlemen”  (sons)  “have  you?”  the  friend 
visited  may  reply,  “ My  fate  is  niggardly  ; I have  only  one 
little  pup  or  bug” — son.  If  the  inquiry  is,  “How  many 
tens  of  thousands  of  pieces  of  silver  have  you?”  (meaning, 
“ How  many  daughters  have  you  ? ”).  “ My  Yatows  ” (forked 
heads,  or  slave  children),  you  answer,  with  a deprecatory 
shrug,  “ number  so  many.” 

Chinese  politeness  requires  that  conversation  should  be 
carried  on  in  a low,  soft  voice,  and  that  there  should  be  no 
boisterous  laughter.  Unpropitious  words  must  be  avoided. 
Another  prohibition  that  Americans  and  Britons  might  attend 
to  with  advantage  is,  “ Neither  boast  nor  grumble.”  Lady 
visitors  are  enjoined  not  to  discuss  mother-in-law  or  house- 
hold affairs  and  not  to  show  their  teeth  when  they  smile. 
“ Like  sheep  that  be  leaderless  are  many  women  come 
together  for  much  talk.”  On  the  other  hand,  all  judges  of 
politeness  and  the  gods  themselves  honour  the  lady  visitor 
who  “thinketli  long  before  opening  her  lips.”  Soon  after 
the  visitor  arrives  tea  is  served,  but  he  must  not  drink  it 
until  pressed  to  do  so  many  times  and  until  the  host  has  done 
so  first.  If  cake  or  fruit  be  offered  it  should  only  be  nibbled 
at  during  a first  visit.  A busy  clergyman  hung  up  in  a con- 
spicuous place  in  his  study  the  Scriptural  motto,  “The  Lord 


CHINESE  MANNERS 


217 


bless  thy  goings  out.”  A Chinese  host  has  this  advantage 
over  European  ones — that  ho  can  give  a hint  to  go,  to  a 
visitor  who  is  becoming  a bore.  When  he  drinks  tea  or 
fingers  his  cup  it  means  that  he  thinks  the  interview  had 
better  come  to  an  end. 

When  tho  visitor  rises  to  leave  ho  remarks,  “Another  day 
I will  come  to  receive  your  instructions  ” ; to  which  his  friend 
replies,  “You  do  me  too  much  honour;  I rather  ought  to 
wait  upon  you  to-morrow.”  Then  he  urges  his  guest  to  stay, 
or,  at  least,  to  “go  slowly.”  If  the  guest  must  leavo  or 
wishes  to  leave  he  clenches  his  own  hands  and  bows  till  his 
hands  almost  touch  the  ground.  Tho  host  does  tho  same, 
and  warmly  thanks  him  for  tho  instruction  ho  has  derived 
from  his  conversation.  The  guest  says  that  he  has  wearied 
his  friend,  and  apologises.  This  last  remark  often  is  more 
truthful  than  the  other  polite  phrases. 

Women’s  compressed  feet  are,  as  every  one  knows,  thought 
“genteel”  in  China.  The  fashion,  which  seems  to  us  as 
disgusting  as  does  tight-lacing  to  the  Chinese,  may  have  been 
established  for  a practical  reason.  A friend  of  mine  whose 
servant  had  asked  leave  to  “go  catchee  a wife”  said  to  the 
boy  that  he  hoped  the  young  lady  had  natural  feet.  “No,” 
replied  the  boy ; “ she  has  small  feet ; that  much  better. 
She  no  walkee,  talkee;  she  more  quiet.” 

To  us,  uncut  nails  are  disgusting ; to  the  Chinese,  nails 
so  long  that  they  have  to  be  protected  by  cases  are  very 
stylish,  because  they  indicate  that  their  owner  does  no  menial 
work. 

A Chinese  visitor  to  England  noticed  as  peculiar  that  in 
good  society  people  avoid  nasty  subjects  of  conversation.  In 
China  all  classes,  and  women  as  well  as  men,  speak  freely 
about  the  filthiest  things. 

What  we  would  consider  impertinent  curiosity  is  in  China 
polite  attention.  It  is  there  thought,  for  instance,  to  show  a 
friendly  interest  to  ask  the  age  of  a person  to  whom  you  are 


218  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


introduced  or  whom  you  visit  for  the  first  time.  Suppose  he, 
or  even  she,  reply  “forty,”  you  must  then  say,  “From  your 
venerable  appearance  I would  have  taken  you  to  be  much 
older.”  When  Li-Hung-Chang  visited  Europe,  he,  meaning 
to  be  very  polite,  asked  ladies  their  age,  why  they  had  not 
more  children,  why  they  were  not  married,  and  other  embar- 
rassing questions. 

The  importance  which  the  Chinese  attach  to  pose  and 
attitude  may  be  illustrated  by  a dispute  between  a barber 
and  a chiropodist.  “ You  should  treat  me  with  more  respect,” 
said  the  former,  “ because  my  business  has  to  do  with  the 
head  and  yours  with  the  feet.”  “On  the  contrary,  you 
ought  to  rise  up  before  me,”  said  the  latter,  “ as  you  have  to 
stand  before  or  behind  your  humblest  customer,  while  I am 
allowed  to  sit,  even  in  the  presence  of  royalty.”  “Well,  if 
it  comes  to  that,”  rejoined  the  barber,  “ I have,  when  I shave 
the  Emperor,  the  privilege  of  pulling  his  Majesty  by  the 
nose ! ” 

“In  honour  preferring  one  another”  is  a rule  which  is 
more  observed  in  China  than  where  the  bumptiousness  of 
underbred  Britons  prevails.  Chinese  politeness  requires  a 
person  to  overestimate  another’s  things  and  to  speak  dis- 
paragingly of  himself  and  his  belongings.  In  a Chinese  tale 
a visitor  is  represented  as  having  his  fine  clothes  soiled  by  a 
rat  throwing  down  upon  them  ajar  of  oil  that  rested  upon  a 
beam  above.  Immediately  after  the  catastrophe  the  host 
comes  in,  and  the  visitor,  smothering  his  rage,  explains  the 
situation:  “As  I entered  your  honourable  apartment  I 
terrified  your  honourable  rat,  which  fled  and  upset  your 
honourable  oil-jar  upon  my  mean  and  insignificant  clothing, 
which  is  the  reason  of  my  contemptible  appearance  in  your 
honourable  presence.”  “What  is  your  honourable  name?” 
one  Chinese  will  ask  another.  “ The  trifling  name  of  your 
little  brother  is  Wang.”  “ What  is  your  exalted  longevity  ? ” 
“Very  small;  only  a miserable  seventy  years.”  “What  is 


CHINESE  MANNERS  219 

your  noble  mansion  ? ” “ The  mud  hovel  in  which  I hide  is 

in  such-and-such  a place.” 

A missionary  who  had  been  only  a short  time  at  a station 
in  the  country  and  had  not  learned  Chinese  ways  was  asked 
by  a rich  man  to  visit  him.  “ My  house  is  a very  mean  one 
and  everything  dirty  in  it,”  lie  said,  ‘‘but  I shall  be  proud  if 
you  will  condescend  to  enter  it.”  Taking  him  literally,  the 
missionary  replied,  “Oh,  I should  not  mind  in  the  least,  for 
I used  to  go  into  very  dirty  houses  when  I was  a clergyman 
in  Liverpool.” 

If  a gentleman  ask  you  to  take  a cup  of  tea  he  will  do  it 
in  some  such  terms  as  these  : “ Would  you  condescend  to 
partake  of  the  miserable  trash  which  I call  my  tea  ? It  is,  of 
course,  unworthy  to  pass  through  the  honourable  lips  of  you 
or  of  your  friends,  but  if  you  would  deign  to  accept  it  I would 
feel  honoured  indeed.”  And  then  you  should  bow  low  and 
answer,  “ Sir,  any  tea  given  by  one  so  honourable  as  you  is 
too  good  for  your  humble  servant,  and  I know,  as  a matter  of 
fact,  that  no  tea  on  earth  excels  that  which  you  are  wasting 
upon  me.”  When  the  cup  of  tea  is  handed  you  must  be 
careful  to  take  it  with  both  hands.  By  doing  this  you  show 
that  you  think  the  gift  too  weighty  and  important  to  be  held 
by  one  hand  only. 

It  would  be  considered  a great  liberty  for  any  one,  except  a 
very  intimate  friend,  to  mention  a Chinaman’s  wife  to  him. 
He  would  probably  ask,  “What  the  mischief  have  you  to  do 
with  my  wife  ? ” If,  however,  the  relative  or  dear  friend 
were  to  inquire  for  Madame,  he  would  call  her  “your  most 
beautiful,  virtuous,  and  accomplished  wife,”  and  the  other 
would  depreciate  his  possession  by  replying,  “ The  dull  thorn 
or  stinking  woman  at  home,  who  is  quite  unworthy  of  being 
mentioned  by  you,  is  well.” 


CHAPTER  XXII 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHINA 


The  “ Son  of  Heaven  ” — His  allowances — Yang  Kuo-Chung’s  flesh-screen — 
A College  of  Censors.  A sensible  arrangement — Boards — Circumlocution 
— The  theory  of  responsibility — The  squeeze  system — Public  apprecia- 
tion— Peacock’s  feathers  — Mandarins,  how  distinguished— Bled  by 
vultures — On  the  opium-couch — Pay,  pay,  pay  ! — “ Bring  me  an  honest 
man” — A large  and  dilapidated  house — ‘‘He  is  neglecting  his  duty” 
— “ The  vermilion  pencil  ” — How  rank  is  shown. 

HE  Government  of  China  is  paternal  in  theory,  hut  in 


practice  despotic  and  democratic.  The  Emperor  is 
head  of  the  people  as  a father  is  of  his  family.  He  is  the 
representative  of  the  Deity  to  them,  and  receives  as  only 
gods  of  the  first  rank  do  the  highest  of  the  eight  forms  of 
worship.  He  even  takes  it  upon  himself  to  promote  or 
degrade  gods.  An  imperial  dispatch  is  received  in  the 
provinces  with  prostrations  and  offerings  of  incense. 

One  of  the  appellations  of  the  “ Son  of  Heaven  ” is  “ Sire 
of  ten  thousand  years,”  which  recalls  the  “ 0 king,  live  for 
ever ! ” of  ancient  Persia.  To  see  the  Emperor  is  to  see  the 
dragon’s-  face,  and  his  throne  is  called  tho  dragon’s  throne. 
Thus  tho  Old  Dragon  has  coiled  himself  around  the  ruler 
of  China  and  got  himself  worshipped  through  him  by  one- 
third  of  mankind. 

Great  retrenchment  is  taking  place  in  the  palace,  but  the 
regulation  scale  of  things  before  this  change  began  was  as 


Part  ok  Imperial  Palace,  Peking. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHINA  221 

follows : The  Emperor  and  Empress  had  three  thousand 
eunuchs  to  wait  upon  them,  and  in  order  to  enable  them  to 
bear  the  weight  of  their  dignity  thirty  pounds  of  meat  wero 
daily  placed  before  the  Emporor,  and  twenty-one  before  his 
number  one  wife.  Every  third  year  the  Emperor  is  supposed 
to  keep  his  harem  up  to  date  by  choosing  from  the  daughters 
of  Manchu  officers  those  he  wishes  for  concubines.  During 
the  winter  months  Yang  Kuo-Chung  (an  Imperial  ruffian  who 
was  massacred  a.d.  756)  would  often  cause  a selection  of 
the  fattest  ladies  from  his  seraglio  to  stand  about  him,  in  order 
to  keep  off  the  draught.  This  was  called  his  “ flesh-screen.” 

When  the  Emperor  is  carried  out  in  his  chair  every  one 
must  hide  in  a house,  or  if  he  cannot  get  a hiding-place  fall 
down  as  though  dead. 

And  yet  the  Chinese  are  no  believers  in  the  flunky  theory 
that  a king  can  do  no  wrong.  They  think  that  the  Emperor 
can  and  does  do  so  if  he  violate  the  law.  He  has  divine 
right  only  as  long  as  he  governs  in  conformity  with  the 
decrees  of  Heaven.  Mencius  said,  “ The  people  are  of  the 
highest  importance  ; the  gods  come  second  ; the  sovereign  is 
of  lesser  weight.”  That  “the  people’s  hearts  and  Heaven’s 
decree  are  the  same,”  is  a Chinese  maxim  which  is  nothing 
else,  in  fact,  than  vox  populi,  vox  Dei. 

The  first  Emperor  of  the  Ming  dynasty  observed,  “ The 
bow  drawn  violently  will  break ; the  people  pressed  hard  will 
rebel.”  Another  sovereign  remarked  to  his  son,  “ You  see 
that  the  boat  in  which  we  sit  is  supported  by  water,  which  at 
the  same  time  is  able,  if  roused,  to  overwhelm  it ; remember 
that  the  water  represents  the  people,  and  the  Emperor  only 
the  boat.” 

A very  old  Chinese  institution  is  a College  of  Censors. 
The  business  of  its  members  is  to  report  any  breach  of 
propriety  in  courts  of  justice  or  on  the  part  of  Government 
officials  generally.  Even  with  the  Emperor  they  are  bound 
to  remonstrate  when  necessary.  There  have  been  censors 


222  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


who  brought  their  coffins  and  left  them  at  the  door  of  the 
palace  when  they  gave  the  Emperor  advice,  in  order  to 
intimate  that  they  were  ready  to  abide  by  whatever  might  be 
the  issue  of  the  advice. 

There  are  in  China  twenty-six  degrees  of  hereditary 
nobility,  and  by  a very  sensible  arrangement  a title  loses 
one  degree  of  nobility  with  each  step  of  descent.  In  this 
way  wise  fathers  are  prevented  from  ennobling  fools  for  ever. 
Titles  are  often  awarded  to  those  who  subscribe  largely  in 
the  case  of  national  disasters.  The  nobles  have  nothing 
necessarily  to  do  with  the  administration  of  the  Empire,  and 
must  themselves  conform  to  sumptuary  regulations  in  reference 
to  their  establishments  and  retinue. 

There  is  no  Parliament  in  China,  but  there  are  two  councils, 
which  are  the  organs  of  communication  between  the  head 
and  the  body  politic.  For  the  management  or  mismanage- 
ment of  departmental  matters  there  are  the  Civil  Office,  the 
Foreign  Office,  and  the  Boards  of  Punishments,  of  Revenues, 
of  Rites,  of  War,  and  of  Works.  The  Civil  Office  attends  to 
such  matters  as  the  granting  of  precedence  and  titles ; the 
Board  of  Punishments  is  as  amiably  busy  as  was  the  Inquisi- 
tion of  old.  The  Board  of  Rites  regulates  Court  ceremonies 
and  the  rites  suitable  to  an  eclipse,  or  to  any  other  national 
“ calamity.”  The  Board  of  War  directs  an  army  which,  as  a 
national  one,  practically  does  not  exist ; and  the  Board  of 
Works,  seeking  to  be  justified  by  faith,  neglects  its  construc- 
tive duties.  The  only  part  of  the  revenue  that  is  honestly 
managed  are  tho  Imperial  Maritime  Customs,  which  arc 
collected  and  transmitted  by  European  officers  under  the 
supervision  of  Sir  Robert  Hart.  The  Wai-wa-pu,  which  is  the 
equivalent  more  or  less  of  our  Foreign  Office,  seems  to  have 
been  created  for  the  purpose  of  doing  nothing  at  all  and 
preventing  any  one  else  from  doing  anything.  It  serves 
merely  as  the  cold  water  which  extinguishes  the  hot  irons 
thrust  into  it  by  the  ardour  of  the  foreign  agents. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHINA  223 


We  complain  of  the  red-tape  and  circumlocution  of  British 
Government  offices,  but  they  are  original  and  business-like 
compared  to  the  Chinese.  In  the  latter  at  least  90  per 
cent,  of  the  copying  and  correspondence  that  takes  place  is 
useless.  I quote  here,  from  E.  H.  Parker’s  “ China,”  part  of 
a proclamation  to  show  the  relative  rank  of  officials  and  the 
form  of  their  correspondence : “ The  Magistrate  has  had 
the  honour  to  receive  instructions  from  the  Prefect,  who 
cites  the  directions  of  the  Taotai,  moved  by  the  Treasurer 
and  the  Judge,  recipients  of  the  commands  of  their  Ex- 
cellencies the  Viceroy  and  Governor,  acting  at  the  instance 
of  the  Foreign  Board,  who  have  been  honoured  with  His 
Majesty’s  Commands.  . . . We  therefore  enjoin  and  command 
all  and  several,  &c.” 

The  Government  of  China  is  greatly  helped  by  the  theory 
that  every  one  is  responsible  for  some  one : a father  for  his 
children,  an  elder  brother  for  a younger,  the  headman  in  a 
village  for  all  who  live  in  it.  So  great  a protection  is  this 
against  fraud  and  injury  that  police  like  ours  can  be  done 
without  in  a Chinese  village.  Every  one  is  labelled  through 
the  clan  system,  and  when  wanted  by  the  authorities  can 
always  be  found.  In  China  the  family  is  the  unit  and  not 
the  individual.  A missionary  of  my  acquaintance  told  a 
magistrate  that  two  men  who  received  five  hundred  blows 
were  not  guilty.  “ I know  that,”  replied  the  magistrate, 
“ but  they  belong  to  the  family  of  those  who  were,  and  I 
could  not  get  the  actual  culprits.” 

The  following  is  the  punishment  for  parricide,  which  is 
seldom  or  now,  perhaps,  never  inflicted  in  the  letter.  The 
criminal  is  cut  to  pieces  ; his  younger  brothers  are  beheaded  ; 
his  house  razed  to  the  ground,  his  principal  teacher  is 
strangled ; the  district  magistrate  and  the  other  high  officials 
of  the  province  are  reduced  in  rank  ; the  neighbours  living  on 
the  right  and  left  have  their  ears  cut  off  because  they  should 
have  heard  and  reported  what  was  going  on,  and  those  living 


224  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

in  front  lose  their  eyes  because  they  should  have  seen  and 
prevented  the  crime.  So  engrained  into  the  Chinese  is  this 
theory  of  responsibility  that  it  regulates  their  business  and 
private  life ; a bank  manager  holding  his  number  one  clerk 
responsible  for  a mosquito  getting  into  the  net  on  his  bed ! 

A magistrate  generally  does  what  he  likes.  In  the  city  ot 
Kwang-yuan,  for  instance,  the  gate  which  leads  to  the 
largest  portion  of  the  city  has  been  closed  for  a hundred 
years.  The  reason  of  this  very  inconvenient  arrangement 
is  that  the  mandarin’s  wife  was  unfaithful  to  her  husband, 
and  ran  away  through  that  gate. 

The  edicts  of  Governors  of  Provinces  often  terminate  with 
such  admonitions  as  these:  “Hasten!  hasten!  a special 
edict.”  “Tremble  hereat  intensely!”  “Lay  not  up  for 
yourself  future  repentance  by  disobedience.”  “ I will  by 
no  means  eat  my  words.”  “ Earnestly  observe  these  things.” 

But  if  the  mandarin  will  not  eat  his  words,  he  may  by 
covetousness  eat  the  people  committed  to  his  care.  As  a 
warning  to  him  not  to  do  this  there  is  painted  opposite 
the  entrance  of  every  Yamen  on  a detached  wall  a monster 
trying  to  swallow  the  sun.  It  is  not  their  fault  so  much 
as  the  fault  of  the  system  that  many  Government  officials 
deserve  to  be  called  “ bottomless  purses.”  In  theory  they 
have  not  to  buy  their  appointments  but  only  to  pass  a good 
degree  examination ; in  practice,  however,  they  have.  The 
number  of  successful  candidates  always  far  exceeds  the 
number  of  vacancies,  so  literati  who  have  neither  family 
influence  nor  money  are  left  out  in  the  cold.  Certainly  they 
may  sometimes  borrow  money  to  buy  a post,  for  it  is  a 
recognised  form  of  business,  or  rather  of  speculation,  to 
finance  promising  youths  so  that  they  may  gain  degrees, 
and  afterwards  appointments  which  furnish  good  “squeezing” 
opportunities. 

The  first  duty  of  the  newly  appointed  mandarin  is  to  pay 
the  bankers  or  syndicate  who  have  run  him  ; his  second  to 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHINA  225 

put  aside  the  amount  necessary  to  purchase  a renewal  of  his 
appointment,  which  is  generally  hold  on  a three  years’ 
tenure,  or  repurchase  in  case  of  dismissal ; and  his  third 
to  save  something  for  the  time  when  he  will  cease  to  be 
employed.  After  this  ho  may  begin  to  consider  the  public 
interest.  China  can  never  have  just  administration  of  laws, 
a strong  army  and  navy,  or  anything  that  a Government 
should  have  until  she  pays  her  officials  properly.  The  theory 
is  that  the  superior  man  will  always  act  as  such,  and  that  all 
he  needs  is  a living  wage.  So  ridiculously  little  are  officials 
paid  that  they  have  to  pay  themselves  by  “ squeezing  ” those 
whose  father  and  mother  they  profess  to  be.  “ The  greater 
fish  eat  the  smaller,  the  smaller  eat  tho  shrimps,  and  the 
shrimps  have  to  eat  mud.”  However,  some  mandarins 
“ squeeze  ” much  less  than  do  others,  and  it  is  possible  even 
in  a mandarin’s  Yamen  for  life  to  be  well  led.  When  this  is 
the  case  the  Chinese  Zacchaeus  is  much  appreciated  and  is 
presented  with  “ a coat  of  many  colours  ” by  a general  con- 
tribution, or  with  an  umbrella  from  “ ten  thousand  of  the 
people.”  This  last  is  made  of  red  silk  or  satin,  has  three 
folds  or  flounces,  and  is  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the 
principal  donors  in  gold  letters.  Another  compliment  is  for 
the  inhabitants  of  a town  to  ask  a good  mandarin  for  a pair 
of  his  boots  and  hang  them  up  over  a city  gateway,  or 
in  a temple. 

High  officials  in  China  receive  rewards  from  Government, 
but  they  are  as  little  substantial  as  are  many  of  the  titles  and 
decorations  in  which  our  prominent  politicians,  or  at  least  their 
wives,  rejoice.  The  Chinese  would  seem  to  think  that  fine 
feathers  do  make  fine  birds,  for  civil  and  military  officers  get 
as  a mark  of  imperial  approbation  peacocks’  feathers,  which 
are  of  the  one-eyed,  two-eyed,  or  three-eyed  kind,  according 
to  the  amount  of  honour  it  is  intended  to  confer.  The  civil 
mandarins  are  divided  into  nine  grades,  each  of  which  are 
distinguished  by  the  colour  of  the  stone  or  metal  button  worn 

15 


226  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

on  the  top  of  the  official  cap,  by  the  pattern  embroidered  on 
the  breast  and  back  of  official  robes,  and  by  the  clasp  on  the 
girdle. 

Every  magistrate  must  keep  from  thirty  to  three  hundred, 
according  to  the  size  of  his  district,  lictors,  runners,  collectors 
and  “ watchers,”  or  police.  These  hereditary  rogues,  as  they 
generally  are,  pay  and  feed  themselves  on  their  warrants  for 
the  most  part.  Every  one,  whether  a criminal  or  a witness 
who  is  “wanted  on  a warrant,”  is  bled  by  the  vultures. 
With  arduous  and  undefined  duties,  with  executive  judicial, 
and  at  times  even  military  functions  strangely  intermingled,  a 
Chinese  mandarin  is  dependent  on  his  subordinates  at  the 
best  of  times,  but  when  he  succumbs  to  the  “Yin”  or  the 
craving  for  opium,  as  many  do,  and  spends  half  his  time 
on  the  opium-couch,  rapacity  and  misgovernment  go  on 
unchecked. 

Before  beginning  a law-suit  one  must  pay  to  have  a 
petition  written  and  presented  to  the  mandarin.  When  the 
case  comes  into  court  money  must  be  given  to  the  judge. 
Your  opponents  find  out  how  much  was  given,  and  add  a little 
more.  You  then  go  one  better  until  “justice”  is  knocked 
down  to  the  highest  bidder.  True,  in  Europe  also  the 
longest  purse  generally  wins  a law-suit,  but  justice  is  not 
ignored  as  it  is  in  China.  The  favourite  eunuch  of  the 
Empress-Dowager  used  to  be  given  about  £ 1,000  for  obtaining 
an  interview  with  that  tigress. 

Each  of  the  eighteen  provinces  into  which  China  is  divided 
is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a distinct  country.  The  viceroy 
or  governor  is  not  interfered  with  so  long  as  he  maintains 
a show  of  peace  within  his  borders,  and  sends  to  Peking  not 
less  revenue  than  his  predecessors.  He  may  rob,  torture, 
and  kill  as  much  as  he  pleases.  The  first  means  collecting 
his  salary ; the  second  is  supposed  to  extract  truth  ; the 
third — well,  Chinamen  are  so  many  that  the  death  of  a few 
hundred  or  thousand  never  seems  to  be  of  any  importance. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  CHINA  227 


Still,  there  is  a limit  even  to  Chinese  endurance.  The 
people,  particularly  the  country  people,  will  at  times  rise 
and  mob  or  even  beat  a mandarin  whose  oppression  is  more 
than  conventional.  Should  ho  complain  to  his  superiors  of 
this  treatment,  they  resent  the  trouble,  and  tell  him  that 
if  he  cannot  get  on  with  the  people  he  had  better  retire. 

Several  years  ago  some  one  denounced  an  under  official  to 
Baron  Liu,  Viceroy  of  Nanking,  who  had  made  away  with 
seventy-five  thousand  taels.  “ I know  it,”  said  the  Viceroy. 
“ Why  do  you  not  dismiss  him  ? ” was  inquired.  “ Bring  me 
an  honest  man  and  I will,”  was  the  pathetic  answer. 

In  the  XXXIXth  Section  of  the  Book  of  Rites,  it  is 
written,  “ The  men  of  old,  in  their  desire  to  manifest  great 
virtue  throughout  the  Empire,  began  with  good  government 
in  the  various  States.  To  achieve  this  it  was  necessary  first 
to  order  aright  their  own  families,  which  in  turn  was  pre- 
ceded by  cultivation  of  their  own  selves,  and  that  again  by 
rectification  of  the  heart,  following  upon  sincerity  of  purpose 
which  comes  from  extension  of  knowledge.”  The  only  thing 
wrong  in  the  present-day  government  of  China  is  that  the 
officials,  their  families,  and  their  dependents  have  little  or 
no  knowledge,  sincerity  of  purpose,  or  rectification  of  heart. 
If  left  to  themselves  they  will  never  make  reforms.  The 
masses  of  the  people  are  beginning  to  see  this,  and  they  will 
see  it  more  and  more.  China  is  a large,  leaky,  and  dilapidated 
house,  and  as  the  landlord  will  not  repair  it  the  tenants  must. 

If  early  rising  had  the  virtue  which  some  attribute  to  it 
China  ought  to  be  the  best-governed  country  in  the  world. 
The  official  day  of  the  Emperor  begins  at  half-past  four 
o’clock  in  the  morning,  and  if  he  is  not  out  of  his  bed  at  that 
hour  there  are  eunuchs  whose  business  it  is  to  beat  drums  at 
his  door  and  call  aloud  remarks  like  this : “It  is  half-past 
four  o’clock  and  His  Majesty  is  not  up  ! He  is  neglecting  his 
duty ! ” 

As  soon  as  possible  after  rising  the  Emperor  receives  the 


228  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

members  of  the  Grand  Council  and  officials  who  require  an 
audience.  Those  of  the  latter  who  are  high  enough  in  rank 
kneel  on  cushions  when  in  his  presence,  the  others  kneel 
upon  the  bare  floor.  Any  particular  remarks  or  directions 
which  the  Emperor  may  make  are  added  to  State  Papers 
in  red,  commonly  called  “the  vermilion  pencil.”  When 
the  retinue  of  an  official  is  met  in  the  streets  the  rank  of 
the  man  escorted  can  be  ascertained  by  observing  the  colour 
and  number  of  flounces  on  the  umbrellas  which  are  carried 
before  him.  Only  a Viceroy,  Provincial  Governor,  Tartar 
General,  and  two  or  three  others  are  allowed  as  many  as 
eight  bearers  of  the  chair  in  which  the  great  man  sits  “ like 
an  idol,”  motionless,  grave,  and  dignified.  The  chairs  of 
these  high  officials  are  covered  with  blue  cloth,  those  of  lower 
ones  with  green.  On  leaving  their  Yamens  and  returning  to 
them  high  officials  are  saluted  with  three  cannon.  Preceding 
them  are  two  men  wearing  very  wide  ceremonial  hats  ; they 
strike  gongs  at  intervals  a number  of  times  according  to  the 
rank  of  their  master.  Other  men  and  boys  carry  red  boards, 
on  which  are  inscribed  the  official’s  titles  or  commands  to  the 
people  to  keep  silence  and  not  to  get  in  the  way.  Two  men 
also  carry  a trunk  containing  changes  of  clothing  for  the  great 
man.  The  lictors  who  clear  the  way  wear  tall  black  or  red 
hats  made  of  bamboo  splits,  ornamented  with  grey  feathers. 
They  carry  chains,  rods,  or  whips,  to  remind  people  of  the 
punishments  which  their  master  inflicts.  In  the  capital  of 
the  Empire  the  rank  of  officials  is  shown  by  the  build  and 
colour  of  their  Peking  carts,  and  by  the  number  of  heavy, 
brass-headed  nails  that  are  in  the  wheels. 

When  an  inferior  mandarin  meets  a superior  he  is  bound  to 
go  down  a side  street  or  by  some  other  means  efface  himself. 
Should  this  be  impossible,  the  bearers  of  his  large  fans  hasten 
and  hold  them  between  the  inferior  and  the  superior,  so  that 
with  Chinese  make-believe  the  latter  may  not  appear  to  know 
that  the  former  dares  to  be  in  the  same  world  with  him. 


An  Audience  Hall,  Peking. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


PUNISHMENTS 


Theory  and  practice — Convenient  vagueness — “Searchers" — The  ideal  of 
an  Emperor — A Chinese  court  of  “ justice  ” — Inducements  to  confession 
— Ingenious  tortures — “Will  the  foreign  devil  not  give  me  some 
opium  ? ” — Tenacity  of  life — An  experience — An  execution — The 
cangue — Have  all  Chinese  nerves  ? — Hells — A female  Nero — Keports 
on  himself — Linchi — Punishments  ordered  but  not  always  enforced. 


HE  penal  code  of  China,  which  dates  from  the  beginning 


of  the  present  dynasty,  is  not  more  cruel  than  that  which 
prevailed  at  the  same  period  in  Europe  ; but  the  provisions 
which  were  made  in  China  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  the 
enactments  are  now,  as  a rule,  set  aside.  There  is  the  usual 
Chinese  difference  between  theory  and  practice.  The  laws 
are  excellent,  but  the  squeeze  system  stultifies  them.  This  is 
painfully  illustrated  (to  the  tortured  man  especially)  by  the 
fact  that  although  torture  is  limited  to  bambooing  and 
squeezing  ankles  and  fingers  by  Chinese  law,  it  is  inflicted 
in  many  other  ways,  in  order  to  extract  confession,  upon 
accused  persons  who  cannot  afford  to  buy  impunity. 

Witnesses  are  also  tortured  and  are  sometimes  kept  in 
prison  until  it  pleases  the  mandarin  to  try  the  case.  No 
wonder  it  is  commonly  said  that  a court  is  no  place  for  honest 
people.  Here  is  another  illustration  of  the  fact  that  while  the 
theory  of  Chinese  justice  is  good  its  practice  is  bad.  Every 
mandarin’s  Yamen  or  official  residence  has  in  its  courtyard 


229 


230  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


a drum  or  gong,  and  persons  suffering  from  injustice  or 
oppression  may  strike  it  till  the  magistrate  comes  out  and  give 
an  informal  audience  to  the  suppliant.  And  yet  one  common 
proverb  says,  “ If  you  have  right  on  your  side  and  no  money, 
don’t  go  to  the  Yamen  gate  though  it  stand  wide  open,”  and 
another]advises  the  dead  to  keep  out  of  hell,  and  the  living  out 
of  Yamens.  It  is  reported  that  the  Board  of  Punishments 
at  Peking  are,  with  the  advice  of  German  and  Japanese  jurists, 
about  to  frame  new  penal  laws.  This  is  much  wanted,  for 
the  existing  ones,  though  much  better  than  those  of  most 
ancient  nations,  are  so  vague  that  the  Chinese  may  well  say 
that  it  is  “ difficult  to  escape  from  the  net  of  the  law.”  The 
following  enactment  is  a specimen : “ Whoever  is  guilty  of 
improper  conduct,  and  such  as  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the 
laws,  though  not  a breach  of  any  specific  article,  shall  be 
punished  at  the  least  with  forty  blows.”  It  is  said  that  in 
the  new  code,  which  we  hope  will  be  more  than  a dead  letter, 
lingchi,  or  death  by  a thousand  cuttings,  and  other  inhuman 
punishments  will  have  no  place. 

In  China  there  are  no  juries,  and  in  theory  there  are  no 
lawyers,  but  in  practice  there  are  a species  of  lawyers  called 
“ searchers.”  These  aid  the  judge  by  looking  for  a similar 
previous  case,  and  if  sufficiently  paid  by  the  defendant  they 
can  generally  discover  a precedent  which  enables  his  Lordship 
to  come  to  the  desired  decision.  The  judge  or  magistrate 
begins  with  the  assumption  that  the  accused  is  guilty,  which 
saves  trouble.  He  abuses  the  unfortunate  person,  asks  unfair 
and  leading  questions,  and,  in  short,  does  all  in  his  power  to 
realise  the  ideal  of  an  emperor  who  said,  “ I wish  my  people 
to  dread  the  inside  of  Yamens  as  much  as  possible,  so  that 
they  may  learn  to  settle  their  quarrels  amongst  them- 
selves.” 

A Chinese  court  of  justice  is  literally  a court ; or  rather 
a courtyard,  partly  or  entirely  roofed  over.  The  judge  sits  at 
a large  X'ed  table  on  which  arc  black  and  red  ink  slabs,  a sort 


Chinese  Court. 


PUNISHMENTS 


231 


of  hammer,  and  a hollow  cylinder.  This  last  is  full  of  tallies 
or  slips  of  wood,  and  according  to  the  nature  of  the  offence  he 
throws  a certain  number  on  the  floor  of  tho  court.  Theso  are 
taken  up  by  the  attendants,  and  five  blows  nominally,  but  in 
reality  only  four,  inflicted  for  each.  This  mitigation  is  an 
“ imperial  favour  ” in  conformity  with  the  Chinese  maxim, 
that  “ in  enacting  laws,  rigour  is  necessary ; in  executing 
them,  mercy.”  Prisoners  find  by  painful  experience  that  it 
is  the  opposite  of  this  maxim  that  is  practised.  In  a stand 
behind  aro  spears,  swords,  and  other  insignia  of  justice. 
Every  one  addressing  the  court,  except  official  persons,  must 
kneel. 

The  inducements  which  are  used  to  make  prisoners  confess 
guilt  or  disclose  confederates  arc  as  terrible  as  thoso  we  used 
three  hundred  years  ago.  One  is  called  “ Monkey  grasping 
peach.”  The  man  is  suspended  by  one  arm  over  a horizontal 
bar,  his  other  arm  is  passed  down  under  one  or  both  his  legs, 
and  his  hands  tied  by  the  thumbs  under  his  knees.  We  will 
not  disgust  our  readers  with  details  of  such  tortures  as 
smoking  the  prisoner’s  head  in  a tube,  cutting  his  flesh  when 
made  to  protrude  through  the  interstices  of  a wire  shirt, 
whipping  him  with  a scourge  of  small  hooks.  After  a 
flagellation  sometimes  the  culprit  is  obliged  to  go  down 
on  his  knees  and  thank  the  magistrate  for  the  trouble  he 
has  taken  to  correct  his  morals. 

But  ordinary  kneeling  is  in  many  cases  thought  to  be  a too 
comfortable  exercise,  and  so  the  prisoner  is  forced  to  kneel 
upon  chains.  The  Chinese  will  cut  off  a man’s  eyelids  and 
chain  him  facing  the  sun,  or  pour  boiling  oil  into  his  eyes. 
At  Peking  one  who  was  not  a criminal,  but  only  politically 
disliked,  was  buried  in  earth  up  to  his  chin,  then  loathsome, 
venomous  creatures  were  inserted  in  an  enclosure  made  round 
his  face  and  head. 

In  Canton  and  elsewhere  in  China  attempt  is  made  to 
supply  the  deficiencies  of  police  by  inflicting  terribly  severe 


232  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

punishments  upon  those  who  are  caught  breaking  the  law. 
A man  who  had  bullied  and  annoyed  some  native  Christians 
was  complained  about  to  a magistrate  by  a missionary.  Little 
did  the  reverend  gentleman  know  what  he  was  doing.  The 
magistrate  had  iron  rings  driven  over  the  knees  of  the 
man’s  doubled  up  legs,  thus  maiming  him  for  life.  The 
missionary  who  told  me  this  did  not  know  why  the 
magistrate  was  so  apparently  pro- Christian.  No  doubt  it 
was  in  order  that  he  might  be  troubled  with  no  more 
complaints.  Lately  a Hong  Kong  newspaper  reported  that 
at  a certain  city  two  robbers  were  crucified  and  carried 
around  on  the  crosses. 

Sometimes  a woman,  as  punishment  for  adultery,  is  made 
to  stand  in  a cage,  her  head  projecting  through  a hole  in  the 
top,  till  death  by  exhaustion  or  strangulation  ensues,  or  until 
some  one,  seeking  to  obtain  merit  in  heaven,  puts  into  her 
mouth  sufficient  opium  to  end  her  struggles.  If  the  sentence 
is  less  severe,  the  supports  are  gradually  withdrawn  from 
under  the  criminal’s  feet,  and  he  or  she  is  choked  more 
quickly. 

A friend  told  me  that  in  Nanking  he  passed  a man  who 
had  been  in  this  sort  of  receptacle  for  four  days  and  nights. 
The  bricks  upon  which  it  rested  had  all  been  put  aside  so  that 
strangulation  could  finish  its  hitherto  prevented  work.  “Was 
the  man  unconscious?”  I inquired.  “ So  little  so,”  was  the 
reply,  “ that  he  said  to  my  interpreter,  * Will  the  foreign  devil 
not  give  me  some  opium  ? ’”  The  tenacity  of  life  which  the 
Chinese  have  is  often  a doubtful  advantage.  I heard  a man 
say  that  he  saw  three  men  who  had  endured  the  half  strangu- 
lation and  whole  starvation  of  these  cages  for  three  days  and 
nights,  and  that  life  was  “ still  strong  in  them.”  A native 
Christian  near  Swatow  was  given  fifteen  hundred  strokes  of 
bamboo  canes  to  make  him  confess  a murder  which  he  did 
not  commit.  A week  afterwards  he  got  a thousand  more 
strokes.  The  British  Consul  remonstrated  when  he  heard 


To  face  page  232. 


Jail-Birds  in  Cages. 


PUNISHMENTS  233 

of  tho  case,  and  the  man  was  let  alone  and  has  now  quite 
recovered. 

Wandering  one  day  through  a magistracy  in  Canton  I 
came  upon  a horrid  sight.  A man  was  stretched  across  a 
board,  his  two  thumbs  being  fastened  behind  his  back  to  his 
two  big  toes.  A torturer  stood  beside  him  with  two  bamboo 
canes  fastened  together  in  his  hand,  with  which  he  had  beaten 
the  front  of  the  thighs  of  the  tied-up  man  until  they  were  bluo 
and  bloody.  From  the  nose  of  this  operator  hung  two  cancer- 
ous appendices,  which  probably  procured  for  him  his  post,  as 
ugliness  helps  the  tormentor’s  work.  The  judge  or  magistrate 
asked  the  prisoner,  who  moaned  miserably,  questions.  They 
were  beginning  to  bring  in  other  inducements  to  confession,  so 
I fled,  and  gladly  paid  the  porter  ten  cents,  which  he  demanded, 
to  let  me  out.  My  squeamishness  caused  mirth  amongst  the 
Yamen  runners,  and  they  would  show  me  somo  of  the  things 
that  constitute  the  “ plant  ” of  the  justice  business  in  China. 
One  implement  was  a piece  of  hard  leather  like  the  sole  of  a 
shoe.  This  is  used  for  striking  a prisoner  suspected  of  lying 
upon  the  cheek  and  mouth,  until  sometimes  the  features  are 
so  obliterated  that  tho  sufferer  is  said  to  have  a “ pig  face.” 
This  attention  is  paid  much  to  women.  We  wonder  if  it  was 
with  a piece  of  leather  like  this  that  the  high  priest  Ananias 
commanded  St.  Paul  to  be  smitten  on  the  mouth.  Another 
thing  which  the  attendants  pointed  out  to  me,  with  a grin  all 
over  their  faces,  was  a short,  hard  stick.  With  a single  blow 
of  this  they  can  break  an  ankle-bone.  One  little  instrument 
seemed  comparatively  harmless,  and  yet  it  is  sometimes 
deadly.  It  is  a piece  of  thin,  flat  bamboo.  With  this 
innumerable  taps  are  administered  until  the  prisoner’s  flesh 
becomes  pulpy  and  sometimes  gangrenes.  An  English  officer 
told  me  that  he  saw  a man  get  three  hundred  blows.  There 
was  a pause  after  each  twentieth  blow,  and  the  mandarin 
asked  the  prisoner  jeeringly  to  confess.  “ Then,”  said  my 
friend,  “ they  brought  in  a beam  to  go  across  the  man’s  legs, 


234  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

and  the  guide  whispered  that  four  men  would  jump  upon  this 
until  the  man  confessed  or  his  legs  broke.  I got  sick  and 
left.” 

And  yet  there  are  globe-trotters  who  can  take  snapshots  of 
such  scenes,  and  I have  even  heard  of  a gaoler  being  bribed 
to  have  a prisoner  executed  a day  or  two  before  his  time,  that 
the  dreadful  spectacle  might  suit  the  tourist’s  travelling 
arrangements.  The  Chinese  are  obliging  in  these  matters. 
A friend  of  mine  sent  in  his  name  to  a magistrate,  and  said 
that  he  wished  to  see  a trial.  The  magistrate  replied  that 
there  was  none  that  morning,  but  that  if  he  could  wait  until 
the  afternoon  he  would  get  one  up  for  him. 

However  easy  it  is  for  a tourist  to  see  torture  or  an  execu- 
tion inflicted  in  a Chinese  city,  we  advise  him,  or  even  her, 
not  to  do  so.  A man  known  to  the  writer  saw  nine  pirates 
beheaded.  “ The  sight  haunted  me  for  weeks,”  he  said,  “and 
the  worst  of  the  show  was  the  way  children  four  or  five  years 
old  tossed  decapitated  heads  from  one  to  the  other,  and 
putting  straws  into  the  blood,  blew  bubbles  ! ” He  described 
the  men  who  were  to  be  beheaded  as  being  carried  to  the 
execution  ground  in  baskets  or  crates,  much  in  the  same  wray 
as  one  sees  pigs  carried  in  China.  Indeed,  after  the  tortures 
to  which  they  are  subjected,  few  criminals  could  walk.  Their 
hands  were  pinioned,  and  they  were  made  to  kneel  side  by 
side  in  a row.  One  criminal,  however,  managed  to  spit  in  the 
executioner’s  face.  A mandarin  arrived,  and  sat  down  at  a 
table  covered  with  red  cloth.  At  a signal  from  him  the 
executioner  commenced  at  one  end  of  the  waiting  line,  and 
with  his  sword  mowed  off  the  heads  as  a boy  cuts  off  with  a 
switch  the  heads  of  poppies  in  a meadow.  Heads  when  cut 
off  are  put  in  a bamboo  cage  and  exposed  in  a public  place. 

An  aspirant  to  the  office  of  headsman  practises  upon 
turnips.  He  puts  a black  line  round  the  vegetable,  and  aims 
at  cutting  it  in  two  there.  Country  practitioners  bungle  much, 
and  often  take  several  chops.  The  fee  of  an  executioner  is 


PUNISHMENTS 


235 


only  fifty  cents  per  head,  but  he  does  not  do  badly  at  that, 
for  business  is  generally  pretty  brisk.  In  a provincial  town, 
where  a friend  of  mine  lives,  the  gaol  was  becoming  too  full, 
so  the  mandarin  visited  it  to  see  what  could  bo  done.  He 
liberated  the  light  offenders,  and  had  the  heads  cut  off  all  the 
rest,  thus  giving  to  the  gaol  a fresh  start  in  usefulness. 

So  great  is  the  inconsistency,  as  it  seems  to  us,  in  things 
Chinese,  that  when  the  law  is  most  cruel  there  shines  out  a 
gleam  of  hope.  It  is  enacted,  for  instance,  that  the  life  of  a 
criminal  condemned  to  death  is  to  be  spared  if  he  have 
parents  over  seventy  years  of  ago  and  no  brother  over  sixteen 
to  support  them. 

Almost  the  lightest  punishment  that  is  inflicted  in  China  is 
to  be  made  to  wear  a cangue.  This  is  a heavy  wooden  collar, 
three  feet  wide,  which  prevents  the  wearer  from  lying  down  or 
putting  his  hands  to  his  face  to  drive  off  flies  and  mosquitoes. 
It  is  locked  on  the  neck  of  the  culprit  during  the  daytime,  but 
is  sometimes  taken  off  during  the  night.  The  name,  resi- 
dence, and  offence  of  the  prisoner  are  written  on  strips  of  red 
paper,  which  are  pasted  on  the  front  of  the  board,  and  ho  is 
placed  in  the  daytime  usually  in  the  vicinity  of  the  spot 
where  he  committed  his  offence.  He  begs  his  living,  unless 
his  friends  feed  him,  during  his  term  of  punishment,  which 
lasts  from  one  to  three  months. 

Then  there  is  the  double  collar — a contrivance  something 
like  a heavy  door  with  two  holes  cut  in  it,  by  means  of  which 
two  criminals  are  bracketed  together  and  are  thus  held  fast, 
frequently  day  and  night. 

Attached  to  the  Yamen  of  a magistrate  are  a species  oi 
constable,  or  runner,  whose  duty  it  is  to  bring  in  those  who 
are  wanted.  If  Sherlock  Holmes  fails  to  do  this,  his  detective 
powers  are  sharpened  by  a bamboo  beating.  To  escape  this 
d posteriori  argument,  the  constable  is  wont  to  seize  a near 
relative  of  the  suspected  person,  have  him  flogged,  squeezed 
in  the  fingers,  boarded  down  upon  a wooden  bed,  or  in  some 


236  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


other  way  persuaded  to  disclose  the  whereabouts  of  his  erring 
and  straying  younger  brother.  The  officials  about  a Yamen 
seem  to  be  absolutely  indifferent  to  the  sufferings  they  inflict. 
At  Peking  those  sent  out  to  arrest  a suspected  criminal  on  a 
recent  occasion  brought  no  chain  or  rope  to  secure  his  hands, 
so  they  nailed  them  to  the  end  of  the  cart  in  which  they  drove 
hack. 

Have  all  Chinese  nerves  ? It  would  seem  as  if  these 
threads  of  pain  and  pleasure  had  been  left  out  of  some  of 
them.  A friend  told  me  that  he  saw  a man  coming  out  of  a 
Yamen  holding  his  wrist,  from  which  his  hand  had  been 
severed  as  a punishment  for  theft.  He  was  smiling  as  if  it 
were  a joke. 

The  Chinese  call  their  gaols  hells,  just  as  the  prison  hulks 
that  were  used  in  Great  Britain  less  than  a century  ago 
were  called  “floating  hells.”  They  are  infested  with  vermin 
and  maggots  that  get  into  the  wounds  of  the  bound 
prisoners. 

Chinese  gaolers  purchase  their  appointments,  as  they  did 
in  England  in  the  time  of  Howard  ; and,  as  was  the  case 
there  then,  they  receive  no  other  pay  but  what  they  can 
squeeze  from  the  prisoners  or  from  the  prisoners’  friends. 
This  is  why  the  prisoners  are  from  time  to  time  taken  away 
from  their  fellows  and  return  with  bleeding  limbs  and  so  weak 
as  to  be  scarce  able  to  crawl. 

The  gaolers  will  do  anything  for  money,  and  nothing 
without  it.  If  you  are  sentenced  to  lose  your  head,  and  bribe 
him,  your  gaoler  can  get  some  wretch  under  his  charge  to 
offer  himself  as  a substitute.  Hearing  that  the  gaoler  wants 
a head,  a man  who  has  no  money  and  no  friends  to  get  him 
out  of  prison,  and  who  is  almost  starved  in  it,  will  say  to  his 
custodian,  “ Give  me  a few  good  feeds,  some  samshu,  and  a 
little  money  to  gamble  with,  and  then  you  can  have  my  head.” 

In  the  north  of  China,  in  places  not  affected  by  foreign 
criticism,  a gaoler  will  exhibit  four  or  five  prisoners  tied 


237 


PUNISHMENTS 

together  by  their  queues  in  a bamboo  cage  no  larger  than  that 
provided  for  a tiger  in  a mean  menagerie.  “ Any  clothes  on 
them?”  I asked  one  who  saw  this.  “Only  loin  cloths.” 
“Any  sanitary  arrangements?”  “None  whatever.”  The 
absence  of  the  last  lately  caused  plague  to  break  out  in  a 
prison  in  Peking,  so  the  authorities  may  do  something  now. 
Indeed,  I have  heard  that  an  edict  has  gone  forth  that  the 
prisons  throughout  the  Empire  are  to  be  purified  morally  and 
physically.  We  hope  that  it  will  be  obeyed. 

Less  than  a hundred  years  ago  soldiers  and  sailors  in 
Great  Britain  were  occasionally  flogged  to  death,  or  so  severoly 
that  they  died.  The  Empress-Dowager  is  in  the  same  state 
of  civilisation  now.  Before  I left  China  she  ordered  a man 
who  confessed  that  he  was  a would-be  reformer  to  be  beaten 
to  death  with  bamboos.  A Hong  Kong  paper  said  that  he  was 
beaten  from  four  o’clock  in  the  day  until  six.  Then  the  flesh 
was  hanging  off  his  bones,  but  as  life  had  not  left  they 
finished  him  by  strangulation. 

If  attempting  to  poison  her  son,  actually  causing  his 
favourite  concubine  to  be  drowned,  cutting  off  the  heads  of 
coolies  who  had  hidden  treasure  for  her  because  dead  men  tell 
no  tales — if  half  of  these  and  other  stories  one  hears  at 
Peking  are  true,  Tse-hsi  must  be  a female  Nero. 

Every  three  years  a mandarin  has  to  make  a report  of  the 
faults  he  has  committed  during  that  period.  This  task  he 
might  be  suspected  of  performing  in  a very  lenient  manner, 
but  he  knows  that  a similar  account  is  being  prepared  in  less 
partial  quarters,  and  that  the  discovery  of  any  omission  would 
convert  a venial  offence  into  one  of  dark  dye.  If  the  man  is 
guilty,  and  also  wise,  he  anticipates  the  order  from  Peking  for 
his  arrest.  Resigning  his  office,  and  providing  himself  with 
a light  wooden  or  paper  cangue  for  his  neck,  with  a small 
chain  for  his  hands,  and,  above  all,  with  money  to  bribe,  he 
hastens  to  Peking.  There  he  delivers  himself  in  chains  to 
the  proper  tribunal,  and  begs  of  the  Emperor  the  favour  of 


238  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

examination  and  punishment.  If  the  accused  cannot  buy  off 
capital  punishment,  the  Emperor  may  be  good  enough  to  send 
him  a silk  cord,  which  means,  “ Strangle  yourself.”  This  is 
very  kind  and  polite  of  His  Majesty,  because  strangulation  is 
more  honourable  than  beheading  by  the  executioner,  as  the 
body  is  not  mutilated.  So  important  is  it  considered  to  obey 
the  command  of  Confucius  to  keep  the  body  whole  that  the 
relatives  of  a beheaded  man  will  sometimes  buy  his  head  and 
sew  it  upon  his  body.  They  believe  that  if  he  appeared  in 
the  other  world  without  a head  his  case  would  be  prejudiced. 
“You  lost  your  head,  did  you?  Oh,  then  you  must  have 
been  behaving  badly  upon  earth  ! ” 

It  is  probably  for  this  reason  more  than  for  its  painfulness 
that  lingchi,  or  the  punishment  of  being  cut  into  a thousand 
pieces,  is  so  dreaded.  As  the  victim,  at  least  when  it  is  paid 
for,  is  drugged  with  opium,  and  dispatched  with  about  the 
third  cut,  though  the  other  cuts  are  inflicted  afterwards,  this 
death  is  not  so  bad  as  being  starved  and  choked  in  a cage. 
But  how  disreputable  to  appear  in  the  other  world  with  a 
body  in  pieces  ! What  standing  could  a man  take  in  the 
world  to  come  if  he  had  lost  his  feet  in  the  present  one? 

Even  the  Son  of  Heaven  blames  himself.  It  is  no  unusual 
thing  for  the  Emperor  in  published  edicts  to  ask  Heaven’s  for- 
giveness for  droughts,  torrents,  famines,  and  for  other  things 
which  he  could  not  have  prevented. 

Swallowing  gold-leaf  is  another  way  in  which  a mandarin 
who  has  got  into  serious  trouble  commits  suicide.  It  is 
considered  to  be  in  almost  as  good  taste  as  using  the  silk 
cord. 

Seeing  in  the  local  papers  that  lingchi,  or  the  lingering 
death,  was  to  be  inflicted  upon  a woman  in  the  execution 
ground  at  Canton,  a man  well  known  in  Hong  Kong  went  up 
to  feast  his  eyes  on  the  sight.  Being  a mere  man  without 
the  nerves  of  a female  globe-trotter,  it  greatly  disagreed 
with  him,  and  he  was  ill  for  days  after.  He  is  one  who,  oven 


PUNISHMENTS 


239 


if  bo  wished  to  lie,  has  not  enough  imagination  to  do  so, 
thereforo  what  he  told  us  on  his  return  may  be  considered 
substantially  true.  I could  not  listen  to  the  narrative,  much 
less  repeat  it,  but  this  is  how  the  man  who  had  “ supped  ” or 
breakfasted  “on  horrors  ” said  the  proceedings  began.  The 
woman  was  bound  to  a cross,  and  the  executioner  “ cut  from 
her  two  steaks  and  threw  them  amongst  the  crowd.”  The 
human  wolves  fought  for  them  and  eat  them  up  between  them. 
The  narrator  did  not  know  whether  this  cannibalism  was 
because  of  hunger  (there  are  always  at  least  a million  people 
in  China  in  a chronic  state  of  starvation)  or  because  the  mob 
thought  that  to  eat  the  flesh  of  a criminal  would  add  to  their 
strength  or  bring  to  them  good  luck. 

It  is  only  fair  to  remark  before  concluding  this  chapter  that 
the  punishments  we  hear  of  in  China  are  seldom  inflicted, 
some  of  them  only  in  time  of  rebellion,  and  that  very  often 
they  are  not  ordered  by  a magistrate,  but  perpetrated  by 
leading  villagers  on  their  own  account  or  by  a gaoler  in  prison 
to  extract  money. 

The  Chinese  are  not  a people  to  be  ruled  by  sentimentalism. 
Some  of  the  land  and  sea  robbers  are  very  desperate,  while  for 
cool  impudence  a Celestial  thief  is  unsurpassed.  Here  is  an 
example  of  the  last  quality.  Several  years  ago,  while  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Hong  Kong  was  in  session,  a man  entered 
with  a ladder,  which  he  placed  upon  a bench  near  the  judge. 
The  judge  asked  him  what  he  wanted.  He  said  that  he  had 
been  sent  to  fetch  the  clock  to  be  cleaned.  In  a rash  moment 
the  judge  said  that,  as  he  was  upon  the  ladder,  he  might  as 
well  take  the  clock.  That  clock  never  came  back.  Some  of 
the  punishments  mentioned  are  inflicted  for  kidnapping 
children,  and  parents  will  always  think  that  for  that  crime, 
which  is  a very  common  one  in  China,  the  penalty  ought  to  be 
severe. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS 


Extract  from  the  Ping  Fa — The  army  in  a transition  state — “ Braves” — Pay 
of  soldiers — Tricks  and  tactics — Qualities  of  a good  soldier — A military 
reform  board — Coal-dust  for  gunpowder — The  army  awakening — Visit 
to  a barrack — The  weak  part  of  the  army — A military  renaissance. 


IT  would  appear  from  the  history  and  literature  of  China 
that  the  Chinese  were  once  a fighting  people.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  the  Ping  Fa,  or  “ Art  of  War,” 
written  in  the  sixth  century  b.c.  “ If  soldiers  are  not  care- 
fully chosen  and  well  drilled  to  obey,  their  movements  will  be 
irregular.  They  will  not  act  in  concert.  They  will  miss 
success  for  want  of  unanimity.  Their  retreat  will  be  dis- 
orderly (nothing  about  their  advance  !),  one  half  fighting  while 
the  other  is  running  away.  They  will  not  respond  to  the 
call  of  the  gong  and  the  drum.  One  hundred  such  as 
these  will  not  hold  their  own  against  ten  well-drilled  men. 
A soldier  must  be  well  equipped.  If  the  cuirass  is  not  close 
set,  the  breast  might  as  well  be  bare.  Bows  that  will  not 
carry  are  no  more  use  at  long  distances  than  swords  and 
spears.  Bad  marksmen  might  as  well  have  no  arrows.  Even 
good  marksmen,  unless  able  to  make  their  arrows  pierce, 
might  as  well  shoot  with  headless  shafts.” 

At  the  present  time,  so  wide  of  the  mark  do  the  old  style 
of  Chinese  soldiers  shoot  that  they  might  as  well  have  no 
rifles.  Scandalously  bad  shots  are,  I believe,  beaten  with 

240 


Chinese  Soldiers. — Old  Style. 


241 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS 

bambooes,  but  even  this  does  not  improve  their  aim.  People 
live  quite  near  the  targets  on  the  practice  ground  at  Woocliow 
on  the  West  River  ; probably  they  think  that  the  safest  place. 
Compare  with  the  above,  orders  which  long  ago  a viceroy  at 
Canton  issued:  “The  soldier  who  runs  away  or  shrinks,  or 
whispers  to  a comrade  when  the  enemy  advances  shall  suffer 
death.  Powder,  shot,  aud  arrows  must  not  be  thrown  away 
at  a distance,  but  reserved  for  closer  action,  as  the  want  of 
them  when  needed  is  like  waiting  to  be  slain  with  the  hands 
tied.  The  soldier  who  bravely  kills  an  enemy  shall  be 
rewarded,  but  he  who  lies  concerning  his  own  merits,  or 
usurps  those  of  others,  shall  be  decapitated.” 

When  Sun  Tzii,  who  wrote  the  “ Art  of  War,”  was  discours- 
ing one  day  with  Prince  Ho-lu  of  the  Wu  State,  the  latter  said, 
“ I have  read  your  book,  and  want  to  know  if  you  could 
apply  its  principles  to  women.”  Sun  Tzii  replied  in  the 
affirmative,  whereupon  the  Prince  took  180  girls  out  of  his 
harem  and  bade  Sun  Tzu  drill  them.  He  divided  them  into 
two  companies,  and  at  the  head  of  each  placed  a favourite 
concubine  of  the  Prince.  When  the  drums  sounded  for  drill 
to  begin,  all  the  girls  burst  out  laughing.  Thereupon  Sun 
Tzu,  without  a moment’s  delay,  caused  the  two  concubines  in 
command  to  be  beheaded.  This  restored  order,  and  ultimately 
the  corps  was  raised  to  a state  of  great  efficiency. 

So  many  kinds  of  soldiers  are  there  in  China  that  it  is 
difficult  to  characterise  the  army  as  a whole.  There  are 
regulars  and  irregulars,  foreign -drilled  troops  and  local 
militia.  These  last  are  not  trained  at  all,  or  in  a way  that 
is  far  behind  the  times.  They  only  attend  upon  mandarins, 
or  act  as  police. 

An  attempt  has  been  made  to  improve  these  police  soldiers, 
but  though  the  new  style  wear  a less  stagy  dress  they  know 
very  little  more  of  police  duties  than  did  their  predecessors. 
I have  seen  them  sleeping  hours  together  in  the  daytime  in 
their  shelter  boxes.  One  of  them  will  drive  away  beggars  by 

16 


242  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

a zealous  application  of  bamboo  to  their  shoulders,  and  then 
hold  out  his  hand  for  the  “ curnsha  ” that  you  had  denied  to 
your  tormentors. 

The  armies  of  China  (each  viceroy  and  provincial  governor 
has  one)  are  now  in  a transition  state.  While  I have  seen 
Chinese  soldiers  who  had  no  other  weapons  than  spears  and 
blunderbusses,  and  no  better  clothes  than  beggars,  I have  seen 
others  with  Mauser  rifles,  and  even  with  waterproof  coats  which, 
when  a sprinkle  of  rain  came,  they  put  on  proudly  over  rather 
smart  uniforms.  In  one  place  I saw  soldiers  being  drilled 
who  were  a great  contrast  to  the  ordinary  dirty,  untaught 
“ braves,”  only  the  instructors  need  not  have  kicked  the 
awkward  ones  upon  the  shins.  The  viceroy  at  Canton  has  now 
got  quite  a respectable  guard,  with  bugle  band  and  all  complete. 
I have  heard  this  band,  and  do  not  think  that  it  could  have 
been  organised  in  order  to  follow  the  injunction  of  an  old 
Chinese  military  writer  : “ Spread  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy 
voluptuous  musical  airs  so  as  to  soften  his  heart.” 

The  Imperial  Guard  at  Peking  consists  of  four  thousand 
Manchu  troops  that  are  not  as  worthless  as  the  rest.  There 
are  banners  or  corps  of  Manchu  soldiers  under  Tartar  generals 
at  important  provincial  centres,  such  as  Canton,  Foochow,  &c. 
The  majority  of  these  bannermen  are  flabby  opium-smokers, 
who  are  neither  strengthened  by  exercise  nor  disciplined  by 
drill. 

Then  there  is  the  “ Green  Banner,”  or  Chinese  army,  sup- 
posed to  number  650,000  troops.  So  little  confidence  was 
placed  in  these  soldiers,  that  when  rebels  in  China  had  to  be 
put  down  and  foreign  robbers  checked,  peasants  were  engaged 
at  a much  higher  rate  of  pay  and  complimented  by  the  title  of 
“ braves.”  The  “ soldiers  ” were  left  to  do  garrison  and  police 
duty  and  the  “ braves  ” faced  the  enemy.  In  fact  the  Chinese 
Government  treated  her  regular  army  as  the  British  Govern- 
ment did  hers  in  the  South  African  troubles,  only  that  the 
Chinese  soldiers  were  not  required  to  fight.  Chinese  peasant 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS  243 

“volunteers”  got  more  wages  and  the  title  of  “braves,”  as 
our  “ volunteers  ” got  four  shillings  a day  more  than  their 
fellow  combatants  of  the  regulars,  and  were  called  “ gallant  ” 
ad  nauseam. 

If  the  ordinary  Chinese  soldier,  as  distinguished  from  the 
occasionally  enlisted  and  comparatively  w'ell-paid  “ brave,” 
had  no  stomach  to  fight,  it  is  no  wonder  considering  how 
little  used  to  go  into  that  member.  A soldier’s  ration  of  rice 
was,  until  recent  army  reforms  took  place,  so  reduced  between 
its  departure  from  the  public  granaries  and  its  arrival  at  his 
mouth  that  it  scarcely  kept  him  alive.  His  pay  was  from 
twenty  to  thirty  cents  a day  nominally,  but  he  did  not  touch 
more  than  half  that  amount.  The  general  took  what  he 
considered  to  be  his  due  out  of  the  money  provided  for  paying 
troops,  and  passed  it  on  to  the  next  in  command,  and  so  on. 
Very  little  was  left  for  Tommy  Atkins.  The  people  who  got 
up  the  rebellions  that  were  so  common  in  remote  districts 
were  generally  soldiers  dissatisfied  because  they  were  cheated 
of  pay.  One  reason  why  good  rifles  were  not  supplied  to  the 
infantry  or  good  horses  to  the  cavalry  is  because  the  men 
used  to  desert  and  sell  them. 

Not  long  ago  the  soldiers  who  took  the  field  against 
insurgents  in  the  province  of  Kwangsi  exchanged  ammunition 
with  the  enemy  for  opium,  and  both  sides  firing  their  rifles  in 
the  air,  engaged  in  sham  battles.  When  other  regiments 
were  sent  to  reinforce  these  worthless  ones  the  names  of  the 
regiments  selected  had  to  be  kept  a secret,  as  otherwise  the 
men  would  all  have  deserted.  Indeed,  a rebellion  used  some- 
times to  be  got  up  by  a military  mandarin.  That  worthy 
obtained  money  from  the  Government  to  enable  him  to  provide 
more  soldiers  and  war  material.  Part  of  this  he  gave  to  the 
leader  of  the  rising  to  induce  him  to  make  peace,  and  the 
rest  he  put  into  his  own  coffers.  Neither  did  the  clothing  of 
their  troops  trouble  viceroys  and  provincial  governors.  Fans 
and  umbrellas  were  occasionally  supplied  to  soldiers,  but,  as 


244  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

a rule,  only  parti-coloured  jackets  which  could  be  easily  slipped 
on  and  off.  On  the  hack  of  the  jacket  the  word  “ping,”  or 
soldier,  was  inscribed.  Without  this  label  one  might  easily 
have  made  a mistake.  Should  courage  fail  the  warrior,  he 
threw  off  his  jacket  and  retired  into  the  comparative  safety 
of  private  life.  Was  there  to  be  an  inspection  ? Coolies 
were  hired  for  the  occasion  and  put  into  blue  and  red  jackets 
and  conical  hats.  Falstaff  said  that  he  could  get  linen  for 
his  soldiers  on  any  hedge  ; a military  mandarin  reversed  this 
and  got  men  for  his  linen  in  every  village.  A general  inspected 
a regiment  and  lunched.  When  he  was  at  the  meal  the 
jackets  of  the  inspected  men  were  sent  to  another  place  and 
put  on  coolies,  who  were  then  inspected. 

Not  long  ago  the  people  of  Peking  petitioned  that  a certain 
regiment  might  be  sent  away  and  another  brought  in  its 
stead.  The  authorities  were  obliging.  They  ordered  the 
regiment  to  march  out  to  a place  about  fifteen  miles  away, 
change  into  jackets  of  another  corps  that  were  in  readiness 
for  them,  and  then  march  back. 

In  several  of  the  provinces  the  army  was  literally  one  of 
dry  bones.  The  names  of  men  long  dead  were  kept  upon  the 
rolls,  drawing  pay  and  rations  by  proxy.  The  fewer  soldiers 
a provincial  governor  had  the  better  were  they  supplied  with 
noisy  musical  instruments  and  unmeaning  flags.  Their 
tactics  seemed  to  have  been  to  heat  so  many  gongs  and 
exhibit  such  large  colours  that  their  foes  might  be  too 
frightened  to  attack.  This  was  not  so  scientific,  but  it  was 
quite  as  brave  as  modern  Western  warfare,  which  consists  in 
finding  the  enemy  and  then  hiding  from  him. 

There  have  been  for  some  years  quite  up-to-date  forts  and 
guns  in  China,  but  there  was  always  something  wrong,  and 
perhaps  the  ammunition  provided  did  not  suit  the  gun.  On 
one  occasion  during  the  war  between  China  and  Japan 
Chinese  artillery  had  the  enemy  covered,  but  the  guns  would 
not  go  off  because  coal-dust  had  been  supplied  instead  of 


245 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS 

gunpowder.  Out  of  two  barrels  of  European  powder,  a 
mandarin  would  make  twelve.  Only  the  outside  ones  of  the 
shells  in  his  store  would  be  real,  and  so  on  through  every- 
thing. 

Quis  custodiet  ipsos  custodes  ? The  unreformed  Chinese 
soldiers  are  as  a class  deservedly  hated,  for  they  rob  and 
maltreat  in  every  way  those  whom  they  are  hired  to  guard 
and  benefit.  The  advice  of  John  the  Baptist  to  the  soldiers 
of  ancient  Rome  was  to  do  no  violence  to  any  man,  and  to  bo 
content  with  their  wages.  The  warning  is  needed  by  the 
warrior  in  the  backward  parts  of  China,  only  in  many  cases 
he  gets  no  wages  to  be  content  with.  He  does  violence  either 
to  live  or  to  fill  his  pipe  with  opium.  In  one  town  of  which  I 
heard,  there  was  a row  between  Protestant  and  Roman 
Catholic  native  Christians — a sort  of  North  of  Ireland  Orange 
riot.  Soldiers  were  sent  not  exactly  to  settle  theological 
differences  but  to  keep  the  peace.  The  first  day  they 
demanded  rice  from  the  inhabitants,  but  cooked  it  themselves 
with  their  own  charcoal,  the  second  day  they  commandeered 
both  rice  and  charcoal,  and  the  third  day  they  forced  people 
to  cook  for  them. 

A Chinaman  thrives  in  every  climate.  He  seldom  needs  a 
physician  and  can  bear  pain  patiently.  He  can  live  upon 
nothing  and  has  little  or  no  objection  to  dying.  He  is  active, 
sober,  docile,  and  what  he  learns  he  never  forgets.  These 
are  the  qualities  of  a good  soldier.  Given  confidence  in  their 
leaders  and  sure  pay,  Chinese  soldiers  would  be  first  rate. 
If  England  had  taken  all  China  in  1841  (considering  her 
opportunities  her  moderation  is  wonderful !)  instead  of  only 
Hong  Kong,  she  could  have  made  a Chinese  army  that  would 
have  held  the  world  at  bay. 

I have  seen  the  regiment  we  organised  at  Wei-Hai-Wei, 
and  no  soldiers  could  drill  better.  They  fought  too  in  a 
way  that  did  them  credit  at  Tientsin.  As  the  persecutions 
of  1900  showed  that  the  Chinese  had  souls  and  could  be  more 


246  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

than  rice  Christians,  so  the  fighting  of  the  same  period 
proved  that  they  had  in  them  the  stuff  of  which  good  soldiers 
are  made. 

The  painful  lesson  which  China  learned  when  her  soldiers 
were  knocked  sky  high  by  Japan,  and  the  “ insults  ” inflicted 
by  foreigners,  have  induced  her  to  more  or  less  put  her 
military  house  in  order.  There  is  now  at  Peking  a Military 
Reform  Board  which  is  collecting  money  and  promising  great 
things.  A territorial  system  is  to  be  introduced  into  the 
province  of  Pechili,  which  is  calculated  to  give  a force  of  a 
hundred  and  eighty  battalions  for  three  years’  service.  Each 
battalion  will  consist  of  men  from  one  hem,  or  prefecture. 
Next  year  schools  are  to  be  opened  in  the  same  province  for 
non-commissioned  officers,  and  a higher  one  at  Peking  for 
officers.  More  attention  is  to  be  given  to  rifle  practice,  and  a 
special  tax  levied  to  buy  arms  and  ammunition.  Attempts  to 
organise  commissariat  transport  and  medical  services  have 
been  made.  The  newly  formed  corps  of  the  Chinese  army 
carry  on  their  ambulance  material  the  Geneva  Cross,  so  as  to 
place  their  wounded  under  the  protection  accorded  by  that 
international  convention.  A college  has  been  established  for 
training  medical  officers  for  the  army.  This  adoption  of 
medical  ministration  will  probably  make  the  Chinese  soldier 
fight  better,  for  what  he  used  to  dread  more  than  death  was 
being  left  to  die  of  his  wounds.  The  Chinaman  fears  also  that 
he  will  be  unburied,  and  that  no  one  will  make  the  ritual  offer- 
ings over  a corpse  abandoned  on  the  field  of  battle.  Quite  a 
number  of  Chinese  youths  are  now  being  trained  in  the 
German  and  Japanese  armies  for  service  in  their  own  country. 
Surely  the  fact  that  she  sent  two  colonels  to  see  the  last 
military  manoeuvres  in  France  shows  that  China  is  awaken- 
ing. 

Formerly  there  was  no  cohesion  in  the  Chinese  army,  and 
each  commander  acted  with  irresponsible  light-heartedness 
for  himself.  Now  they  are  beginning  to  work  together,  but 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS  247 

even  if  the  widely  separated  provincial  armies  of  China  wero 
good,  in  the  absence  of  railways  they  are  of  little  use,  as  they 
cannot  be  concentrated  and  sent  quickly  to  where  they  are 
wanted.  The  general  introduction  of  railways  will  change  for 
the  better  the  Chinese  army,  as  it  will  so  many  other  things 
in  the  country.  Not  so  many  years  ago  there  were  in  the 
British  army  abuses  and  absurdities  nearly  as  many  and  as 
great  as  there  are  now  in  the  Chinese.  These  have  for  the 
most  part  disappeared,  and  China  too,  now  that  she  has 
wakened  up,  will  purge  her  military  system. 

At  Woochang,  on  the  Yang-tze,  there  is  a Military  College 
where  foreign  instructors,  all  or  nearly  all  of  whom  are  now 
Japanese,  teach  embryo  military  mandarins.  At  Han  Yang, 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  there  is  an  arsenal  where,  as  at 
Foochow,  Tientsin,  and  other  places,  the  latest  guns  are 
turned  out. 

It  would  appear,  indeed,  from  a recent  memorial  in  the 
Peking  Gazette , that  it  is  never  considered  too  late  for  a 
Chinese  military  officer  to  learn.  The  memorial  was  from 
Viceroy  Yuen  Shih  Kai,  asking  that  a certain  general  should 
be  pardoned  for  deserting  in  action  during  the  Kwangtung 
insurrection,  because  when  he  was,  after  ceasing  to  be  a 
general,  put  as  a student  into  a lately  established  military 
academy,  he  was  “humble  and  thorough  with  good  results.” 
The  memorial  was  acceded  to  and  a pardon  granted. 

Soon  after  the  outbreak  of  the  war  between  Japan  and 
Russia,  I saw  Chinese  soldiers  being  manufactured  by  the 
thousand  at  Nanking,  Woochang,  and  Ichang.  They  were 
instructed  by  officers  who  had  themselves  been  trained  by 
foreigners,  chiefly  Japanese.  They  were  to  go  to  the  North 
when  sufficiently  taught,  and  no  doubt,  if  called  upon  to  fight, 
they  would  do  credit  to  their  teachers. 

When  the  guards  of  honour  that  met  the  Viceroy,  who 
returned  to  Hankow  during  our  visit  to  that  place,  presented 
arms  to  his  Excellency,  they  did  not  do  so  kneeling  as  used 


248  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


to  be  done  by  Chinese  soldiers,  but  in  the  most  correct 
European  fashion.  It  is  said  that  there  are  at  present  as 
many  as  90,000  soldiers  in  China  properly  equipped  and 
trained  by  foreigners. 

The  Commissioner  of  Customs  with  whom  I stayed  at 
Ichang,  directed  his  Chinese  secretary  to  make  out  a permit 
for  me  to  visit  the  barracks.  I had  to  w^ait  two  and  a half 
hours  until  the  secretary  couched  the  large  red  paper,  if  not 
red  tape,  document  in  language  flowery  enough  to  suit  the 
taste  of  a flowery  land  and  a dilatory  officialdom.  I was 
described  as  a “ universal  instructor  ” in  the  British  army. 
A servant  was  sent  to  carry  these  credentials  before  me, 
which  he  did  raised  to  a level  with  his  head.  I was  received 
by  some  officers,  and  then  tea  and  material  for  smoking  were 
served.  After  this  we  made  a tour  of  the  barracks,  beginning 
with  the  school,  for  all  these  up-to-date  soldiers  must  read 
and  write.  On  the  walls  of  the  school  were  many  maps  and 
portraits  of  the  world’s  great  men.  The  only  Britisher  thus 
honoured  was  Buskin.  There  were  also  cardboards  upon 
which  were  shown  every  decoration  and  uniform  of  the 
Japanese  army.  Pains  seem  to  have  been  taken  to  impress 
the  Chinese  recruit  that  Japan  was  the  only  enlightened 
nation  on  earth. 

The  soldiers  did  their  physical  drill  and  athletic  exercises 
well,  and  evidently  liked  them.  The  barrack  rooms  were 
small,  but  not  crowded.  I was  told  upon  good  authority  that 
these  high-class  soldiers  were  paid  fair  and  regular  wages. 
They  certainly  looked  well  fed.  They  showed  to  me  with 
pride  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  and  these  were  in  good 
condition. 

In  winter  the  men  wear  a sort  of  tunic  made  of  cheap  black 
material,  trimmed  with  red.  It  is  lined  with  khaki,  so  that 
it  may  be  turned  inside  out  in  summer,  which  seems  to  be  a 
warm  and  wasteful  combination.  Even  the  officers  who 
command  these  new  soldiers  have  given  up  the  flowing  silk 


CHINESE  SOLDIERS  249 

garments,  horseshoe  cuffs,  embroidered  breastplates,  and 
amber  necklaces  in  which  military  mandarins  rejoice,  or  did 
rejoice,  and  are  dressed  in  more  Western  military  style. 
Probably  they  are  not  subjected  to  corporal  punishment  as 
are  their  brothers  in  the  unreformed  parts  of  the  military 
system.  The  officers,  however,  are  the  weak  part  of  the 
army.  They  are  not  as  good  as  our  non-commissioned 
officers,  nor  will  they  improve  until  the  Chinese  cease  to 
despise  the  profession  of  arms.  At  present  an  ordinary 
coolie  may  become  an  officer.  When  the  soldiers  of  one 
captain  fled  on  the  approach  of  the  allied  armies  into 
Tientsin,  in  1900,  he  dofl'ed  his  uniform,  and  earned  money 
by  taking  care  of  the  horses  of  foreign  officers.  A Chinese 
saying  with  regard  to  the  military  profession  is,  “ You  don’t 
use  good  iron  to  make  a nail,  or  a decent  man  to  make  a 
soldier.”  Well ! it  used  to  be  said  of  the  British  anny  that 
it  was  manned  by  the  dregs  of  society,  and  officered  by  the 
froth. 

From  what  I saw  of  the  new  army  of  China  I would  say  that 
it  is  almost  entirely  under  the  influence  of  Japan.  So  great 
is  the  admiration  for  the  fighting  achievements  of  that 
country,  that  a veritable  military  renaissance  is  beginning  in 
China,  and  Japan  has  only  to  say  to  the  army  Do  this,  and  it 
will  do  it.  It  is  not  impossible  that  before  very  long  the 
Chinese  army  or  armies  may  be  organised  in  accordance  with 
the  military  system  of  Japan,  and  then  if  the  officers  can  and 
will  lead,  China  will  no  longer  be  robbed  and  bullied  by  the 
European  Powers. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA 


Polite  to  possibilities — Some  answers  of  Confucius — Miracles  of  good 
government — “ Heaven  ” was  much  to  the  philosopher — Paid  attention 
to  the  details  of  life — Laid  no  claim  to  originality — Cautious  and 
conscientious — The  keystone  of  the  system — Senselessly  over-estimated 
— “ Those  who  know  do  not  tell ; those  who  tell  do  not  know  ” — Self- 
emptiness — “ Pills  of  immortality  ” — Doctrine  of  inaction — Darwin 
anticipated — We  must  be  born  again — The  “ Three  Precious  Ones." 

NO  nation  has  so  many  moral  maxims  as  the  Chinese, 
but  the  Chinese  do  not  pay  as  much  attention  to  them 
as  they  do  to  their  stomachs  and  money-bags.  The  Chinese 
care  little  for  logic,  so  they  give  intellectual  hospitality  to 
Confucianism,  Buddhism,  and  Taoism — three  systems  that 
are  in  many  respects  contradictory.  They  consider  it  safest, 
in  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  best  way  of  reaching  the  regions 
of  the  blest,  to  take  passage  by  all  three  of  these  religious 
routes.  Confucianism  supplies  the  Chinese  with  morals, 
Buddhism  appeals  to  their  spiritual  nature,  and  Taoism  to 
their  gambling  interest  in  chance  and  luck.  So  polite  are 
they  to  possibilities  that  they  admit  any  divinity  at  all  likely 
to  be  useful  into  their  pantheon. 

Confucius  was  born  551  B.c.,  dragons  and  goddesses 
assisting  at  the  event.  His  father  was  either  a military 
officer  or  a district  magistrate,  and  was  over  seventy  years  old 

250 


Thk  Altar  ok  Heaven,  Peking, 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  251 

when  the  future  sage  saw  the  light.  Confucius  inherited  his 
father’s  great  strength,  and  when  ho  grew  up  his  arms  wero 
so  long  that  they  touched  his  knees.  It  was,  however,  his 
mother  who  formed  his  character,  for  he  was  left  fatherless 
before  he  had  passed  out  of  his  boyhood.  At  fifteen  his 
“mind  was  set  on  learning.” 

His  marriage,  which  took  place  when  he  was  nineteen,  was 
not  a success  ; he  divorced  his  wife.  Did  the  poor  lady  win 
a golf  championship,  exhibit  her  picture,  write  a book,  or  try 
in  any  other  way  to  win  publicity  ? If  so,  Confucius  would 
never  have  pardoned  her,  for  he  laid  it  down  that  a woman 
should  not  be  heard  of  outside  her  own  home.  His  wandering 
life  and  uncompromising  temper  may  have  made  him  hard  to 
live  with.  After  filling  for  a short  time  the  offices  of  Keeper 
of  the  Government  grain-stores  and  Commissioner  for  the 
imperial  lands  in  his  native  State  of  Lu,  he  became  public 
teacher. 

One  of  his  pupils  presented  him  with  a cart  and  a pair  of 
ponies,  and  in  this  springless  conveyance  he  set  out  to  visit 
some  of  the  neighbouring  petty  States.  Suggested  reforms  not 
being  attended  to,  Confucius  returned  to  Lu,  and  after  some 
years  became  chief  adviser  to  its  ruler.  Asked  one  day  by  this 
person  what  kind  of  crown  was  worn  by  the  Emperor  Shun, 
Confucius  replied,  “ I do  not  know  what  kind  of  garments 
Shun  wore  ; but  I do  know  the  principles  on  which  he  ruled 
his  people.  Why  should  not  Your  Highness  inquire  about 
them?  ” On  another  occasion,  the  Duke  said  to  Confucius  : 
“ I have  heard  of  a man,  who,  on  removing  to  a new  house, 
forgot  to  take  his  wife.  Was  there  ever  a case  of  greater 
forgetfulness?”  “Yes,”  answered  Confucius;  “it  is  that 
of  the  man  who  forgets  himself.” 

Miracles  of  good  government  are  said  to  have  been  effected 
during  the  Prime  Ministership  of  the  sage.  Then  precious 
things  might  be  dropped  in  the  street  without  risk  of  mis- 
appropriation, and  shepherds  would  not  give  water  to  their 


252  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

beasts  before  driving  them  to  market  lest  they  should  weigh 
more  than  their  real  weight.  Righteousness  like  this  exalted 
the  State  so  much  that  neighbouring  rulers  became  jealous, 
and  one  of  them  sent  to  the  Duke  a present  of  fair  women  to 
corrupt  him.  This  stratagem  proving  only  too  successful, 
Confucius  left  Lu  and  went,  amongst  other  places,  to  Wei. 
The  Duke  of  this  principality  had  married  a licentious  woman 
called  Nan-tsz.  One  day  he  drove  through  the  street  of  his 
capital  with  Nan-tsz,  and  made  Confucius  follow  in  another 
carriage.  Perhaps  the  Duke  intended  to  honour  the  philo- 
sopher, but  the  people  saw  the  incongruity,  and  cried  out, 
“Lust  in  front  and  virtue  behind  ! ” Wei  was  no  place  for 
Confucius ; he  left  it  and  went  to  K’wang.  Here  he  was 
assailed  by  a mob.  His  companions  were  alarmed,  but  he 
calmly  said,  “After  the  death  of  King  Wan  was  not  the 
cause  of  letters  and  truth  lodged  in  me  ? While  Heaven  does 
not  let  the  cause  of  truth  perish,  wdiat  'can  the  men  of 
K’wang  do  to  me  ? ” 

On  another  occasion  when  he  was  attacked  by  the  band  of 
a certain  Hwan  Tui,  Confucius  observed,  “ Heaven  has  pro- 
duced the  virtue  that  is  in  me ; what  can  Hwan  Tui  do  to 
me?”  “Heaven”  was  much  to  the  philosopher  in  all  his 
troubles.  “ He  who  offends  against  Heaven,”  he  said,  “ has 
none  to  whom  he  can  pray  ” ; and,  again,  “ Alas  ! there  is  no 
one  that  knows  me ! ” to  which  he  immediately  subjoined, 
“But  there  is  Heaven;  It  knows  me!  Ido  not  murmur 
against  Heaven.”  By  “ Heaven,”  however,  he  may  have 
meant  only  abstract  right.  One  of  the  princes  through  whose 
territory  Confucius  and  his  disciples  passed  asked  who  he  was. 
Confucius  heard  of  this  and  said,  “ Tell  him  I am  a man  who 
in  the  eager  pursuit  of  knowledge  forgets  his  food,  who  in  the 
joy  of  its  attainment  forgets  his  sorrows,  and  who  does  not 
perceive  that  old  age  is  coming  on.” 

Confucius  compared  himself  to  a dog  driven  from  his  home. 
He  said,  “ I have  the  fidelity  of  that  animal,  and  I am 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  253 

treated  like  it,  but  what  matters  the  ingratitude  of  men  ? 
They  cannot  hinder  me  from  doing  all  the  good  that  has  been 
appointed  me.  If  my  precepts  are  disregarded,  I havo  the  con- 
solation of  knowing  in  my  own  breast  that  I have  faithfully 
performed  my  duty.”  The  philosopher  paid  much  attention 
to  the  details  of  life,  though  his  own  life  was  very  simple.  He 
ate  little,  but  he  always  took  care  to  have  the  proper  sauce.  His 
love  of  order  was  shown  by  his  never  sitting  on  his  mat  unless 
it  were  placed  square.  He  drank  little  wine,  wore  plain  clothes, 
and  spoke  cautiously.  On  one  occasion  he  drew  the  atten- 
tion of  his  disciples  to  the  metal  statue  of  a man  with  a 
triple  clasp  upon  his  mouth,  which  stood  in  the  ancestral 
temple  at  Lu.  On  the  back  of  the  statue  were  inscribed 
these  words  : “ The  ancients  were  guarded  in  their  speech, 
and,  like  them,  we  should  avoid  loquacity.  Many  words 
invite  many  defeats.  Avoid  also  engaging  in  many  businesses, 
for  many  businesses  create  many  difficulties.”  “ Observe 
this,  my  children,”  said  he,  pointing  to  the  inscription. 
“ These  words  are  true,  and  commend  themselves  to  our 
reason.”  But  Confucius  did  more  than  caution  people  about 
words.  He  advised  them  to  guard  their  secret  thoughts,  as 
from  these  spring  not  only  words,  but  actions.  He  said  that 
the  superior  man  aims  at  nine  objects : Clearness  in  seeing, 
distinctness  in  hearing,  kindness  in  his  countenance,  respect- 
fulness in  his  demeanour,  sincerity  in  his  words,  a reverent 
carefulness  in  his  work,  search  for  information  in  doubts, 
consideration  of  the  consequences  in  anger,  righteousness  in 
the  aspect  of  gain. 

Confucius  laid  no  claim  to  originality.  He  was,  he  said, 
only  an  editor  and  compiler  of  the  works  of  the  ancients. 
However,  he  no  doubt  learned  maxims  from  personal  experi- 
ence, such  as  the  following:  “Reading  without  thought  is 
fruitless,  and  thought  without  reading  is  dangerous.” 
“ Where  there  is  no  permanency,  there  is  no  rest;  where 
there  is  no  rest,  there  is  no  meditation;  where  there  is  no 


254  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

meditation,  there  is  no  success.”  “ To  know  what  we  know, 
and  what  we  do  not  know  is  knowledge.”  “ Have  no  friend 
who  is  inferior  to  yourself  in  virtue.”  “Virtue  is  the  mean 
between  two  vices.” 

Confucius  never  tired  of  speaking  of  the  beauty  and 
necessity  of  truth,  and  his  ear  was  an  obedient  organ  for  its 
reception.  Cautious  and  conscientious,  he  would  not  commit 
himself  to  theories  of  the  supernatural.  He  taught  that  men 
know  nothing  about  the  gods,  but  that  they  should  live  as  if 
in  their  presence.  His  definition  of  wisdom  was,  “ To  give 
one’s  self  to  the  duties  due  to  man,  and,  while  respecting 
spiritual  beings,  to  keep  away  from  them.”  When  sick  he 
declined  to  be  prayed  for,  saying  that  his  praying  had  been 
for  a long  time — by  which  he  implied  that  a life  well  lived 
was  the  best  prayer. 

When  asked  about  a future  life,  Confucius  answered, 
“ While  you  do  not  know  this  life,  how  can  you  know  about 
a future  one  ? ” A disciple  desired  to  be  instructed  how  to 
die,  and  was  told  to  learn  to  live  well  and  then  he  would 
know  how  to  die.  Asked  if  there  were  one  word  which  would 
serve  as  a rule  of  conduct  for  all  life,  Confucius  replied,  “ Is 
not  reciprocity  such  a word  ? ” 

In  Confucianism  all  virtues  branch  and  blossom  from  the 
instinct  of  filial  love.  It  is  the  keystone  of  the  system. 
Let  the  best  in  the  heart  of  a child  go  out  towards  its 
parents,  and  that  will  pass  by  instinctive  transitions  into  love 
within  the  family,  which  again  will  pass  into  rectitude 
towards  mankind  at  large.  Asked  in  what  government  con- 
sisted, Confucius  answered,  “ When  the  prince  is  prince,  the 
minister  minister,  the  father  father,  and  the  son  son,  that  is 
government.”  After  thirteen  years  of  continued  wanderings 
the  would-be  reformer  came  home  to  die  at  the  age  of  three- 
score years  and  ten.  He  had  suffered  much,  once  being  even 
at  the  point  of  starvation.  The  sense  of  failure,  however,  was 
what  was  hardest  to  bear.  “ The  kings,”  said  he  on  his 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  255 


deathbed,  “will  not  hearken  to  my  doctrines;  I am  no 
longer,  therefore,  of  service  upon  earth,  and  it  is  time  for  me 
to  quit  it.” 

If  Confucius  was  irrationally  despised  before  his  death, 
since  it  he  has  been  senselessly  overestimated.  When  he 
did  or  did  not  do  the  most  ordinary  things  they  are  noted  as 
extraordinary.  “ When  in  bed  ” he  did  not  speak,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  “ he  did  not  lie  like  a corpse.”  “ He  did 
not  eat  rice  which  had  been  injured,  nor  fish  which  was 
stale.” 

The  regard  which  the  Chinese  have  for  the  “ uncrowned 
monarch  ” may  be  estimated  from  the  following,  which  has 
been  translated  from  the  Sacrificial  Ritual : — 

“Confucius!  Confucius!  How  great  is  Confucius! 

Before  Confucius  there  never  was  a Confucius : 

Since  Confucius  there  never  has  been  a Confucius. 

Confucius  ! Confucius  ! How  great  is  Confucius  ! ” 

His  great  influence  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
his  writings  were  used  as  text-books  in  schools  and  for 
competitive  examinations.  From  his  childhood  Confucius 
showed  ritualistic  tendencies,  playing  with  sacrificial  vessels 
and  making  ceremonial  postures.  When  he  grew  up  he  was 
scarcely  less  attached  to  forms  and  ceremonies.  In  fact,  he 
was  a Chinese  Lord  Chesterfield.  He  taught  the  Chinese  to 
observe  distinctions  of  rank  and  to  be  orderly  and  gentle. 
He  was  “ content  to  live  in  decencies  for  ever.”  When  in 
the  presence  of  Royalty  he  held  in  his  breath  as  if  he  dared 
not  breathe.  It  is  more  to  his  credit  that  when  he  met  a 
blind  person  he  saluted. 

The  writings  of  Confucius,  in  common  with  all  Chinese 
classics,  are  free  from  anything  debasing.  If  they  do  not 
ascend  to  heaven,  they  do  not  descend  to  hell.  Confucius 
has  given  to  the  world  the  Chinese  version  of  “ the  religion 
of  a gentleman.”  The  agnosticism  of  Confucius  was,  perhaps, 


256  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

a recoil  from  the  extravagant  metaphysics  of  Laoutsze,  the 
founder  of  Taoism,  whom  he  characterised  as  an  “ ignorant 
good  man.”  This  judgment  may  have  been  formed  because 
Laoutsze  acted  on  the  principle  that  a sage  knows  how  to 
pass  for  a fool.  The  name  Laoutsze  may  be  translated  “ Old 
child.”  The  philosopher  was  born  with  white  hair,  and  no 
wonder,  for  the  event  is  said  not  to  have  occurred  until  his 
mother  had  carried  him  in  her  womb  seventy-two,  or  some 
say  eighty-one,  years.  His  complexion  was,  according  to 
tradition,  white  and  yellow ; his  ears  were  of  extraordinary 
size,  and  were  each  pierced  with  three  passages.  On  each 
foot  he  had  ten  toes,  and  each  hand  was  ornamented  with  ten 
lines.  Taoism  signifies  the  way  of  living,  the  method  of  best 
developing  human  nature.  Some  say  that  Tao  was  Reason, 
and  compare  it  with  the  Logos,  or  Word  of  St.  John’s 
Gospel ; but  in  reference  to  its  meaning  Laoutsze  himself 
said,  “ Those  who  know  do  not  tell ; those  who  tell  do  not 
know.”  The  book  called  “ Tao  Teh  King”  which  Laoutsze 
left  behind  him,  and  which  is  the  Bible  of  his  religion,  con- 
tains only  five  thousand  words.  Along  with  much  rubbish, 
there  is  in  it  not  a little  that  is  good  about  the  virtues  of 
humility  and  unselfishness,  culminating  in  the  precept  which 
even  Confucius  could  not  receive — to  return  good  for  evil. 
“ To  the  not  good,”  he  said,  “ I would  be  good  in  order  to 
make  them  good.” 

Instead  of  asserting  themselves,  Laoutsze  urged  his  dis- 
ciples to  strive  after  self-emptiness.  His  favourite  illustration 
was  that  of  water,  which  seeks  the  lowliest  places,  but  which, 
at  the  same  time,  permeates  everything,  and  by  its  constant 
dropping  pierces  even  the  hardest  substances.  Emptiness, 
by  which  he  means  freedom  from  preoccupation  and  all 
selfish  motives,  is  indispensable  for  the  reception  of  truth. 
The  Taoists  taught  that  people  become  spirits,  and  are  happy 
in  a future  world.  On  one  occasion  they  fought  well  for  an 
Emperor.  Instead  of  giving  to  them  the  earthly  rewards  for 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  257 

which  they  had  contended,  he  told  them  that  they  were  spirits, 
and  would  be  rewarded  in  the  spiritual  world. 

Those,  however,  who  were  content  with  their  portion  in 
this  life  had  only  to  tako  a dose  of  the  elixir  of  life  which  the 
Taoists  professed  to  have  discovered,  and  they  might  defy 
death.  The  last  enemy  was  powerless  against  their  “ pills 
of  immortality.”  Laoutsze  was  as  great  a believer  in  non- 
interference by  the  State  as  was  Herbert  Spencer,  and  when 
we  think  of  the  fussy,  must-do-something  people  who  annoy 
their  neighbours  in  the  "Western  world,  and  of  the  mis- 
chievous philanthropists  who  demand  that  everything  should 
be  regulated  by  Government — when  we  think  of  these  faddists, 
Laoutsze’s  doctrine  of  inaction  is  very  attractive.  He  enun- 
ciated it  as  follows  : “Do  nothing,  and  all  things  will  be 
done.  I do  nothing,  and  the  people  become  good  of  their 
own  accord.”  Using  a wheel  as  an  illustration,  Laoutsze 
taught  that  “activity  pivots  itself  upon  a centre  of  rest.” 
When  a man  can  put  to  rest  every  desire  and  become  one 
with  the  principle  of  quiescence  that  animates  the  universe, 
he  is  able  to  enter  into  its  secrets  and  to  emulate  its  wonders. 

The  following  extract  shows  that  Laoutsze  held  with  Solomon 
that  “ the  day  of  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  birth,”  and 
with  Shakespeare  that  we  are  “ such  stuff  as  dreams  are 
made  of”  : “ Before  death  comes  we  shrink  from  it,  as  the 
maiden  betrothed  to  the  prince  of  a neighbouring  State  once 
shed  tears  at  the  thought  of  leaving  her  native  soil  and  going 
to  dwell  amongst  strangers.  But  when  she  found  herself  in  a 
palace  and  surrounded  by  beautiful  things,  she  laughed  at  the 
folly  of  her  past  tears.  When  death  has  taken  place,  who 
knows  but  that  we  may  laugh  at  the  ignorance  which  made 
us  dread  it  ? There  is  no  certainty  in  knowledge,  and  the 
love  of  life,  as  well  as  the  fear  of  death,  may  both  alike  have 
been  mistaken.  The  man  who  dreams  in  the  night  that  he 
is  at  a banquet  wakes  up  in  the  morning  to  disappointment, 
and  the  man  who  dreams  in  his  slumbers  that  he  shed  tears, 

17 


258  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

wakes  up  to  find  that  a day  of  festive  hunting  is  before  him. 
Till  the  morning  breaks  there  is  no  test  to  which  a dream 
can  be  submitted.  A great  awakening  is  before  us,  and  then 
we  may  know  how  much  of  a dream  the  present  life  has  been.” 

But  though  Laoutsze  did  not  value  life  or  fear  death, 
he  was  averse  from  war,  considering  that  the  least  glorious 
peace  is  preferable  to  the  most  brilliant  successes  of  war,  and 
that  the  most  brilliant  victory  is  but  the  light  from  a con- 
flagration. 

So  much  has  Taoism  degenerated  that  it  is  now  little 
better  than  a system  of  fortune-telling  and  an  emporium  of 
incantations  against  evil  spirits. 

In  250  b.c.  eighteen  Buddhist  missionaries  came  to  China, 
and  they  are  now  commemorated  by  having  their  images 
placed  in  most  large  temples.  However,  inquirers  into  the 
missionary  problem  of  that  time  would  have  called  the  Bud- 
dhist propaganda  in  China  a decided  failure,  for  it  made  scarcely 
any  way  for  three  hundred  years.  Then  it  was  introduced 
at  Court,  and  adopted  by  the  Imperial  Government.  By 
means  of  this  State  aid  it  grew  and  spread.  Buddhism  was 
a beautiful  religion  when  it  came  to  China,  but  it  was  soon 
debased  by  being  mixed  with  Taoism  and  with  an  idolatry, 
like  itself,  also  imported  largely  from  India.  The  men  who 
handled  it  were  poor  representatives  of  its  founder.  The 
Buddhist  Scriptures  have  suffered  even  more  than  the  Chris- 
tian from  superficial  expositors.  Unable  to  discover  the 
truths  underneath  myths,  symbols,  and  parables,  they  have 
mistaken  the  outer  form  for  the  substance,  the  shell  for  the 
kernel.  It  is  said,  for  instance,  that  out  pf  water  rose 
a lotus  lily,  and  out  of  this  the  universe ; but  this  was  only 
a simile  conveying  the  idea  that  as  the  lotus  grows  from  a 
seed  beneath  the  water,  so  each  single  universe  is  evolved  out 
of  a primitive  germ,  the  first  origin  of  which  is  veiled  in 
mystery.  Everything  rises  into  existence  and  ebbs  away 
again,  is  evolved  and  disappears  in  an  eternal  circle.  Darwin 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  259 

was  anticipated  by  more  than  two  thousand  years.  When  asked 
how  the  first  world  began,  and  whence  came  that  eternal  law 
of  ceaseless  reproduction,  Shakya  Muni  said  that  the  solution 
of  the  mystery  was  beyond  the  understanding  of  the  finite 
mind. 

Buddhism  accounts  for  tho  inequalities  of  earth  by  its 
doctrines  of  heaven,  purgatory,  transmigration,  and  nirvana. 
Instead  of  a fixed  heaven  and  hell  for  which  no  one  is  good 
enough  or  bad  enough,  it  proclaims  a heaven  and  hell  of 
many  mansions.  Each  person  goes  to  his  own  place — to  tho 
place  which  he  has  prepared  for  himself. 

“ Our  deeds  still  travel  with  us  from  afar, 

And  what  we  have  been  makes  us  what  we  are.” 


He  that  is  holy  will  be  holy  still,  and  he  that  is  filthy  will 
bo  filthy  still.  A good  man  will  bo  born  again  better  and 
higher ; a bad  one  will  be  transmigrated  into,  say,  a hard- 
worked  ass  or  an  unclean  cur,  or  perhaps  will  vegetate  only 
as  a plant.  He  who  is  without  desire,  dead  to  himself,  ho 
alone  truly  lives.  The  path  of  deliverance  lies  in  the  renun- 
ciation of  self,  in  the  extirpation  even  of  the  desire  to  live. 
Until  this  is  effected  we  must  be  born  again.  Shakya  Muni 
was  a spirit  in  prison  550  times — that  is  to  say,  he  went 
through  this  number  of  incarnations  before  he  escaped  from 
the  dizzy  round  of  birth  and  death  and  attained  to  nirvana,  or 
exemption  from  birth. 

The  “ Three  Precious  Ones  ” — that  is,  Intelligence,  Law, 
and  Church  personified  in  Buddha,  or,  as  they  are  described 
by  the  ignorant,  Buddha  Past,  Buddha  Present,  and  Buddha 
Future — are  three  images  placed  side  by  side,  which  are 
nearly  always  found  in  Buddhist  shrines,  as  the  “ Three  Pure 
Ones”  are  in  Taoist  temples.  You  know  Shakya  Muni 
(Intelligence)  by  the  curled  hair  and  curious  bump  on  the 
top  of  his  head.  The  second  statue  (Dharma,  i.e.,  Law)  has 


260  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

four  hands,  two  of  which  are  folded  in  prayer  ; the  third  hand 
holds  a rosary,  and  the  fourth  a book.  The  third  statue 
(Sanigha,  i.e.,  Church)  is  two-handed,  one  hand  resting  on 
its  knee,  the  other  holding  a lotus  flower. 

The  birthday  of  Shakya  Muni — the  day  upon  which  he  left 
the  house  of  his  parents  and  the  day  upon  which  he  became 
Buddha  the  enlightened  and  entered  into  nirvana — are  the 
three  great  festivals  of  Buddhism.  Then  there  is  the  greatest 
amount  of  chanting,  of  prostrating,  and  of  marching  back  and 
forward  and  round  and  round  on  the  part  of  priests  in  the 
temples. 

Of  the  five  commandments  of  Buddha,  “ Thou  shalt  not 
kill  any  living  thing ; thou  shalt  not  steal ; thou  shalt  not 
commit  any  unchaste  act ; thou  shalt  not  lie ; thou  shalt  not 
drink  any  intoxicating  liquor,”  the  ordinary  Chinese  Buddhist 
obeys  whichever  suits  him,  just  as  those  who  profess  and  call 
themselves  Christians  do  in  reference  to  their  Ten  Command- 
ments. 

At  the  present  time  Buddhism  is  simultaneously  derided 
and  advocated,  neglected  and  espoused  by  the  Chinese.  Its 
many  inventions  are  decried  by  the  learned  and  laughed  at 
by  the  profligate,  but  more  or  less  patronised  by  all.  Its 
mystical  atheism  cannot  satisfy  the  soul  that  thirsts  for  the 
living  God. 

Europeans  who  find  it  easier  to  worship  from  afar  than  to 
attend  a place  of  worship  near  them,  are  now  coquetting  with 
Buddhism  as  with  a fashionable  beauty.  They  notice  prac- 
tices in  later  Buddhism  which  resemble  Christian  institutions, 
and  they  say  that  the  latter  were  copied  from  the  former. 
This  borrowing  theory  can  be  disproved  by  one  well-ascer- 
tained fact,  which  Dr.  Eitel  states  in  these  words  : “ The 
whole  canon  of  Buddhist  scriptures  was  compiled  and  fixed 
in  writing  between  the  years  a.d.  412  and  432,  or  at  least 
seven  hundred  years  after  Buddha’s  death.  There  is  not  a 
single  Buddhist  manuscript  existing  which  can  vie  in  antiquity 


THE  RELIGIONS  OF  CHINA  261 


and  undoubted  authenticity  with  the  oldest  codices  of  the 
Gospels.”  As  to  the  beauty  of  holiness,  there  is  little  of  this 
in  the  degenerate  Buddhism  which  those  who  live  in  China 
see. 

The  Chinese  say  that  Confucianism,  Taoism,  and  Buddhism 
are  one,  and  certainly  there  is  not  much  to  choose  between 
the  last  two.  Both  arc  thieves,  like  so  many  of  their  votaries. 
Taoism  stolo  the  worst  features  of  Buddhism,  and  Buddhism 
stole  the  best  features  of  Taoism.  All  three  religions  agree 
in  this  : that  they  give  no  light  as  to  the  character  and  inten- 
tions of  the  Ruler  of  the  Universe. 

Perhaps  we  ought  to  say,  before  concluding,  that  there  are 
some  20,000,000  Mahommedans  in  China,  and  that  these, 
with  the  native  Christians,  are  the  only  Chinese  who  believe 
in  and  worship  God  in  our  sense  of  the  word.  If  it  be  diffi- 
cult to  discover  the  number  of  real  Christians  in  Great 
Britain,  as  is  proved* by  the  ‘‘Do  we  believe?”  correspond- 
ence in  the  Daily  T degrapli,  how  much  more  difficult  is  it  to 
ascertain  how  many  are  in  China  ? It  is  said  that  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  has  about  500,000,  and  that  there  are  some- 
thing like  150,000  Protestants. 

In  the  next  four  chapters  we  shall  describe  the  state  of 
religion,  or  rather  of  superstition,  as  it  actually  is : its  prac- 
tice, and  not  merely  its  theory. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 


FENGSHUI  AND  OTHER  SUPERSTITIONS 


Hard  to  grasp — The  two  currents — Geomantic  superstitions  no  longer  cope 
with  financial  considerations — A missionary’s  answer — From  a fengshui 
point  of  view — The  green  dragon  and  the  white  tiger — What  are 
pagodas  ? — The  geomancer — The  almanack— Sellers  of  lies — Palmists, 
spirit-mediums,  and  other  humbugs — Planchettes — The  phrenologist’s 
answer — Superstitions  connected  with  birth,  marriage,  and  death — 
Locked  to  life. 

NO  superstition  has  had  a more  cramping  effect  upon  the 
mind  and  life  of  a people  than  that  which  is  known  in 
China  as  Feng-  or  Fungshui.  The  word  means,  literally, 
wind  and  water,  and  certainly  the  system  is  as  hard  to  grasp 
as  are  wind  and  water.  Fengshui  may  have  been  nothing 
more  before  the  geomancer  impostors,  the  “ wind  and  water 
doctors,”  got  hold  of  it  than  an  instinctive  groping  after 
sanitary  science,  and  the  attention  which  the  Chinese  pay  to 
soils,  aspects,  water,  and  other  potent  natural  influences  is 
wiser  than  the  neglect  of  them  which  is  shown  by  many  who 
consider  themselves  more  scientific.  Fengshui  is  terrestrial 
astrology.  What  astrology  is  to  the  student  of  stars  feng- 
shui is  to  the  observer  of  the  surface  of  our  planet.  The 
features  of  the  globe,  say  its  professors,  are  the  reflex  of  the 
starry  heaven  and  foretell  the  fortunes  of  men  no  less  than 
does  the  latter.  They  also  teach  that  these  fortunes  are 
influenced  by  two  currents  that  run  through  the  surface  of  the 

earth.  One  is  the  male  principle  of  nature  known  as  the 

262 


2G3 


FENGSHUI 

“ Azure  Dragon  ” ; the  other  the  “ Whito  Tiger,”  or  female 
principle.  To  obtain,  for  instance,  a fortunate  site  for  a 
building  or  for  a grave  these  two  currents  should  bo  in  con- 
junction, forming,  as  it  were,  a bent  arm  with  their  juncture  at 
the  elbow. 

For  a city  a place  used  to  be  chosen  where  there  was  a 
conjunction  of  the  dragon  and  the  tortoise,  an  amphitheatre 
of  mountains,  perhaps,  representing  the  former  aud  somo 
lower  hill  the  latter.  The  resemblance  had  sometimes  to  be 
eked  out  by,  say,  a temple  on  the  tortoise’s  head  or  a pagoda 
on  the  dragon’s  tail. 

Should  a building  be  put  up  or  a tree  cut  down  in  the 
neighbourhood  the  fengshui  may  be  destroyed,  and  floods, 
pestilence,  and  famine  may  result.  This  is  the  argument 
against  making  railways.  Railway  lines  are  straight,  and 
anything  straight  is  thought  to  be  unlucky.  However, 
geomantic  superstitions  cannot  cope  with  financial  considera- 
tions, and  when  John  Chinaman  realises  that  railways,  tele- 
graph, and  mines  pay,  he  shames  the  devil  and  prefers  dollars 
to  fengshui. 

Near  Ningpo  the  elders  of  the  neighbourhood  in  which  a 
mission  house  stood  assembled  to  protest  against  the  erection 
of  a turret  built  with  the  hope  of  catching  a little  fresh  air 
above  the  close  atmosphere  of  the  unsavoury  town.  “ Our 
luck  will  be  ruined  by  the  tower,”  they  said.  The  chief  of 
the  mission  met  them  in  solemn  conclave.  “ What  is  feng- 
shui ? ” he  asked.  “ Is  it  not  wind  and  water?  Well,  now, 
let  us  arrange  an  amicable  compromise.  I will  give  you  the 
water,  if  you  will  leave  me  the  air.”  The  Chinese  have  a 
keen  sense  of  humour,  and  this  answer  prevented  what  might 
have  been  a serious  riot.  Looked  at  from  a fengshui  point 
of  view,  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  which  is  the  most 
conspicuous  building  in  the  city  of  Canton,  must,  when  it  was 
first  built,  have  been  as  distasteful  to  the  citizens  as  wras  the 
trick,  or  at  least  sharp  practice,  by  which  its  site  was  obtained, 


264  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

“ Why,”  they  must  have  asked  themselves,  “ should  the 
French  joss-house  be  so  much  higher  than  the  uniform  level 
which  feng-shui  requires  ? ” 

When  the  United  States  consul  at  Nantai  put  up  a flag- 
staff at  his  consulate,  a demand  was  made  for  its  removal  on 
fengshui  grounds  ; as  he  did  not  comply,  the  people  con- 
tented themselves  with  making  an  image  of  a little  devil  firing 
at  the  flagstaff. 

Some  Hong  Kong  and  Canton  Chinese,  when  about  to  erect 
a factory  for  making  paper  by  foreign  machinery,  to  save 
future  fengshui  trouble  consulted  the  elders  of  the  place  near 
Canton  where  the  building  was  to  be  put  up  about  the  plans, 
which  were  to  be  of  foreign  design.  These  wiseacres  passed 
everything  except  a tall  chimney.  Here  was  a difficulty,  for 
a factory  must  have  a chimney.  Some  knowing  one,  how- 
ever, suggested  to  try  them  with  two  chimneys,  and,  upon 
this  change  being  made,  the  factory  was  sanctioned.  Two  of 
the  local  students  soon  afterwards  won  degrees,  which  was 
thought  a proof  of  the  wisdom  of  the  decision. 

I saw  at  Wuchow,  upon  the  West  River,  a telegraph  line 
that  is  said  to  have  cost  at  least  a hundred  heads.  When  the 
poles  were  first  put  down  the  people  kept  on  destroying  them 
until  they  were  intimidated  by  the  number  of  executions 
mentioned.  An  individual,  or  collection  of  individuals,  who 
erect  a pawnshop  in  a street  higher  than  the  other  houses 
must  compensate  every  owner  of  a house  that  has  been  over- 
topped. 

When  two  buildings  are  beside  one  another,  the  one  on  the 
left  is  said  to  be  built  on  the  green  dragon,  and  the  one  on 
the  right  on  the  white  tiger.  The  tiger  must  not  be  taller 
than  the  dragon,  or  bad  luck  will  result.  When  it  was  pro- 
posed to  construct  a telegraph  between  Canton  and  Hong 
Kong  the  ground  of  the  opposition  against  it  was  as  follows  : 
Canton  means  the  city  of  rams  or  sheep,  the  mouth  of  the 
river  is  known  as  the  “ tiger’s  mouth  ” ; the  district  opposite 


To  face  yatje  265. 


A Pagoda. 


FENGSHUI 


265 


Hong  Kong  is  the  “ Nine  Dragons  ” (Kan  Lung).  Wliat  more 
unfortunate  combination  could  be  found — a telegraph  line  to 
lead  the  sheep  right  into  the  tiger’s  mouth  and  among  tho 
nine  dragons? 

To  dispel  evil  influences,  or  to  collect  good  ones,  pagodas 
which  somewhat  resemble  our  coast  lighthouses  have  been 
built,  the  number  of  their  stories  being  always  unoven — three, 
five,  seven,  nine,  eleven.  Some  say  that  pagodas  are  gigantic 
official  umbrellas  in  stone,  the  stories  being  tho  flounces. 
Others  say  that  the  stories  represent  the  stages  through  which 
mortals  pass  on  their  way  to  Nirvana.  One  theory  is  that 
pagodas  were  for  the  accommodation  of  evil  spirits  so  that 
these  gentry  might  not  trouble  the  houses  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. Tho  fact  is,  that  we  know  as  little  about 
these  singular  erections  as  wo  do  about  the  round  towers 
in  Ireland. 

The  geomancer  is  the  interpreter  of  the  feug-shui  supersti- 
tion. By  looking  at  the  wind,  the  water,  the  nature  of  the 
earth,  the  conformation  of  the  hills,  and  so  forth,  he  selects 
lucky  sites  for  graves.  He  is  a sort  of  fortune-teller,  for  tho 
fortunes  of  the  living  are  supposed  to  depend  upon  the  burial- 
place  they  select  for  their  dead  relatives. 

It  is  only  natural  that  in  a country  like  China,  so  full  of 
water-ways,  good  feng-shui  or  good  “ wind  and  water,”  or,  in 
other  words,  good  luck  on  a journey,  should  have  come  to 
signify  good  luck  in  every  event  of  life.  The  Chinese  are  in 
constant  fear  of  saying  or  doing  things  in  an  unlucky  time, 
place,  or  way,  or  in  the  presence  of  unlucky  people.  No  man 
thinks  of  beginning  a journey,  of  laying  a foundation-stone,  of 
burying  a parent,  or  of  doing  anything  at  all  important  with- 
out consulting  an  almanack,  generally  the  official  one  pub- 
lished at  Peking.  A young  man,  hearing  a cry  of  distress, 
ran  to  the  rescue,  and  found  his  father  buried  under  the  ruins 
of  a fallen  wall.  “Be  patient,  my  father,”  he  said;  “you 
have  always  taught  me  to  do  nothing  without  consulting  the 


266  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


almanack.  Just  wait  a little  until  I see  whether  this  is  a 
suitable  day  for  moving  bricks.” 

There  are  many  kinds  of  luck-expounders  or  fortune-tellers. 
Observe  that  “ seller  of  lies  ” who  will  not  look  you  in  the 
face.  He  wears  large  glasses  and  looks  wiser  than  any  man 
could  be.  He  is  sitting  in  a retired  part  of  the  street  with  a 
table  in  front  of  him,  on  which  are  almanacks  and  other 
“ books,”  probably  not  unlike  those  books  of  “ curious  arts  ” 
which  the  converts  burned  long  ago  at  Ephesus.  He 
resembles  a spider  waiting  for  a fly,  and  he  has  not  long  to 
wait,  for  his  advice  is  continually  asked  about  the  name  that 
should  be  given  to  a boy,  the  day  on  which  he  should  be  sent 
to  school,  what  trade  he  should  learn,  and  indeed  about 
almost  every  detail  in  life.  As  to  the  fee,  it  is  regulated  by 
the  paying  capacity  of  the  consultant,  questions  concerning 
the  life  of  a rich  fool  being,  of  course,  more  difficult  to  solve 
than  those  relating  to  one  who  has  no  cash  to  throw  away. 

The  following  command  which  was  given  to  the  people  of 
Israel  must  be  a great  difficulty  to  the  people  of  China. 
“ There  shall  not  be  found  with  thee  one  that  useth  divina- 
tion, one  that  practiseth  augury,  or  an  enchanter,  or  a 
sorcerer,  or  a charmer,  or  a consulter  with  a familiar  spirit, 
or  a wizard,  or  a necromancer”  (Dent,  xviii.  10,  11).  All 
these  are  found  with  the  Chinese. 

The  commonest  way  in  which  a fortune-teller  consults  fate 
is  by  means  of  bamboo  or  paper  slips  inscribed  with  characters. 
The  applicant  comes  to  the  table  and  selects  a slip,  the 
diviner  dissects  the  character  upon  it  into  its  radical  and 
primitive,  or  in  some  other  way,  and  writes  the  parts  upon  a 
board  lying  before  him.  From  these  he  educes  a sentence 
which  contains  the  required  answer.  The  man  receives  it  as 
confidently  as  if  he  had  entered  Sybil’s  cave  and  heard  her 
voice,  pays  his  fee,  and  goes  away.  Other  fortune-tellers 
refer  to  books,  in  which  the  required  answer  is  contained  in  a 
sort  of  equivocal  Delphian  distich. 


FENGSHUI 


267 


Many  Chinese  may  say  “ A little  bird  told  me,”  for  they 
consult  fortune-tellers  who  have  trained  the  birds  of  the  air  to 
declaro  the  matter.  When  the  fortune-teller  is  consulted  ho 
takes  from  its  cago  a feathered  soothsayer  that  ought  to  bo 
singing  in  the  air  instead  of  telling  lies,  and  puts  it  on  a 
table  upon  which  are  arranged  a number  (generally  sixty- 
four)  of  folded  pieces  of  paper.  The  bird  takes  up  one  in  its 
beak  and  gives  it  to  its  master,  who  opens  it  and  explains  tho 
enigmatical  verses  that  are  written  insido.  The  last  time  I 
was  at  Canton  I saw  one  of  these  fortune-tellers  surrounded 
by  a large  crowd  of  bird-witted  people. 

A Taoist  priest  takes  a plate  and  places  over  it  a piece  of 
carefully  wetted  paper.  After  making  mysterious  gestures,  ho 
gently  rubs  the  paper  until  figures  and  scenes  appear,  and 
from  these  he  predicts  the  future. 

Another  way  of  fortune-telling  is  by  means  of  a tortoise- 
shell and  three  ancient  cash.  The  fortune-teller  puts  tho 
cash  into  tho  tortoise-shell  three  times  and  empties  them  out 
before  an  imago  of  the  deity  who  presides  over  divination. 
Ho  observes  tho  relative  positions  in  which  they  fall,  and  after 
comparing  them  with  diagrams  that  belong  to  his  stock-in- 
trade  pronounces  judgment  on  the  matter  that  is  impaired  about. 

I saw  a planchette  in  a temple  near  Nanking,  and  these 
instruments  are  not  at  all  uncommon.  A large  dish  is 
filled  with  sand,  and  the  two  ends  of  a curved  stick  are  moved 
over  it.  The  points,  guided  by  a god  or  devil,  answer  ques- 
tions on  the  sand.  The  faces  and  figures  of  individuals 
whom  clients  desire  to  see  are  shown  in  mirrors  with  the 
readiness  with  which  the  witch  of  Endor  brought  up  Saul  for 
inspection. 

Then  there  are  palmists,  hypnotists,  and  blind  men  who 
travel  about  telling  fortunes.  The  last  mentioned  are  led  by 
boys,  and  give  notice  of  their  approach  by  means  of  a ball 
striking  a drum.  They  are  believed  to  see  into  the  future 
better  than  those  do  who  have  the  use  of  bodily  eyes.  Blind 


268  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

slave  damsels,  who  are  accredited  with  the  spirit  of  divination, 
bring  to  their  masters  no  small  gain  hy  soothsaying.  Men 
and  women  who  in  Western  lands  would  be  described  as 
spirit-mediums  abound.  Some  calamity  befalls  a family.  A 
medium  is  sent  for,  and  is  respectfully  welcomed.  Incense  is 
offered  to  idols,  for  the  medium  always  plays  into  the  hands 
of  the  priests.  She  sits  down,  usually  in  the  seat  of  honour 
in  the  guest-room,  and  falls  into  a trance.  Suddenly  there  is 
a cry,  “ The  spirit  has  come ! ” and  the  medium  slowly  begins 
to  speak  in  an  unnatural  voice.  With  an  air  of  great 
authority  she  declares  what  the  trouble  is  and  how  it  may  be 
remedied.  Then  more  paper  money  and  incense  are  burned, 
and  more  prostrations  made  before  the  idols.  Gradually,  with 
horrible  contortions,  the  medium  empties  herself,  as  it  were,  of 
the  influence. 

The  observations  of  Chinese  phrenologists  are  very  similar 
to  those  of  their  European  confreres,  and  quite  as  clever,  or 
more  so.  The  governor  of  a province  sent  for  a 
phrenologist  and  asked  him  to  select  among  a number  of 
ladies,  who  were  all  dressed  in  the  same  way,  which  was 
his  wife.  The  phrenologist  looked  at  them  for  a long  time 
without  being  able  to  answer.  At  last  he  cried  out,  “ It  is 
she  out  of  whose  forehead  a yellow  cloud  has  just  issued 
forth.”  Of  course,  everybody  turned  round  to  look  at  the 
lady,  and  the  phrenologist  equally,  of  course,  guessed  at 
once  which  was  the  governor’s  wife,  and  pointed  her  out 
with  a gesture  of  wisdom. 

In  China,  as  elsewhere,  many  superstitions  surround  birth, 
marriage,  and  death.  The  day  and  hour  of  a child’s  birth 
are  believed  to  influence  all  his  after-life,  so  the  fortune-teller 
makes  it  his  business  to  cast  horoscopes.  One  fortune-teller 
acquired  a great  reputation  in  a way  that  was  almost 
accidental.  A man  who  did  not  quite  believe  in  him  came 
to  get  his  fortune  told,  but,  instead  of  giving  the  day  and 
hour  when  he  was  born  himself,  ho  gave  the  day  and  hour 


FENGSHUI 


269 


of  his  cat’s  birth.  It  so  happened  that  the  astrologer,  at 
the  time  he  was  consulted,  was  thinking  whether  he  had  put 
some  fish  he  had  bought  out  of  reach  of  his  cat.  He  there- 
fore murmured,  when  given  the  day  and  the  hour,  “ That  cat,” 
and  the  man  who  had  played  the  trick,  thinking  that  it 
was  discovered,  hurried  away  and  spread  abroad  the  fame 
of  the  fortune-teller. 

Immediately  after  a child  is  born  a pair  of  its  father’s 
trousers  are  put  upon  the  frame  of  the  bedstead,  in  such 
a way  that  the  waist  shall  hang  downwards.  On  the  garment 
is  stuck  a piece  of  red  paper,  having  four  words  written  upon 
it,  intimating  that  all  unfavourable  influences  arc  to  go  into 
the  trousers  instead  of  afflicting  the  babe. 

One  often  sees  a silver  chain  or  hoop  locked  round  the 
neck  of  a small  Chinese  boy.  The  father  has  collected  a 
single  cash  or  small  copper  coin  from  a hundred  different 
families.  Adding  to  this  money  himself  he  buys  a lock  for 
the  purpose  of  locking  his  son  to  life,  and  making  a 
hundred  families  concerned  in  his  attaining  to  old  age. 

The  Chinese  believe  that  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  or  of  the 
moon  is  caused  by  a dragon  trying  to  eat  up  that  luminary. 
It  is  the  duty  of  mandarins  to  rescue  it  by  frightening  away 
the  dragon.  They  summon  Taoist  priests  to  their  Yamens,  and 
these  burn  candles,  recite  formulae,  and  tell  the  mandarins 
the  number  of  times  they  should  kneel  and  knock  their  heads 
on  the  ground.  This  ceremony  is  accompanied  by  a general 
beating  of  gongs  and  drums,  and  the  result  is  viewed  with 
much  complacency,  for  the  people  observe  that  although, 
perhaps,  half  of  the  sun  or  moon  seemed  to  have  been 
swallowed  by  the  dragon,  the  attack  was  beaten  off  and  the 
injury  was  not  permanent. 

This  superstition  about  eclipses  has  been  used  to  flatter 
the  Emperor  of  China.  Clouds  on  a certain  occasion  having 
prevented  the  eclipse  from  being  seen,  the  courtiers  repaired 
to  the  emperor  and  felicitated  him  that  the  heavens,  touched 


270  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


by  his  virtues,  had  spared  him  the  pain  of  witnessing  the 
eating  of  the  sun. 

When  the  writer  was  at  Hong  Kong  a junk  was  run  down 
by  a steamer  just  outside  of  the  harbour  and  many  Chinamen 
were  drowned.  Several  baskets  of  snakes  were  sent  by  the 
men’s  friends  and  released  where  the  junk  sank.  They 
thought  that  the  snakes  would  swallow  the  souls  of  the 
drowned  and  take  them  ashore. 

It  is  considered  a proof  that  a man  is  an  exceptionally 
bad  one  when  he  is  killed  by  lightning,  or,  as  the  Chinese 
say,  “ thunder-struck.”  On  his  back  it  is  believed  that 
characters  recording  his  crime  may  be  sometimes  discovered. 


CHAPTER  XXVH 

SPIRITS 


Fly  only  in  straight  lines — A haunted  house — A service  of  exorcism — Fight- 
ing fiends  with  fire-crackers — Foolish  fears — Suicide — Prophylactics— 
Charms — Timidity  of  spirit — A cash  sword — Propitiating  evil  spirits — 
In  the  hour  of  death — Three  souls — Punishment  of  dishonest  priests — 
“The  Universal  Rescue”  feast — View  of  the  intellectual  capacity  of 
spirits. 

IT  may  be  doubted  whether  the  Chinese  believe  in  a god, 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  believe  in  devils. 
A Chinaman  passes  the  time  of  his  sojourn  here  in  fear  of 
them.  He  thinks  that  evil  spirits  may  assume  the  form  of 
snakes  and  foxes,  and  that  they  can  enter  into  human  beings. 
He  fancies  that  he  hears  their  eerie  sound  when  at  night 
they  come  to  his  house  to  inflict  sickness  and  other  kinds  of 
bad  luck. 

Malevolent  spirits  are  supposed  to  fly  only  in  straight  lines, 
so  city  gates  must  not  be  opposite  one  another,  or,  if  they 
are,  some  obstruction  must  intervene.  For  the  same  reason 
opposite  a window  may  often  be  observed  an  apparently 
meaningless  wall.  A long,  straight  canal  is  seldom  seen.  A 
turn  is  given  to  it,  as  is  the  case  with  streets,  or  an  island 
is  formed  to  break  the  continuity,  and  so  puzzle  the  spiritual 
influences.  On  the  wall  of  a house  opposite  the  end  of  a 
street  there  is  nearly  always  a caution  to  evil  spirits,  some- 
times cut  on  a stone  brought  from  a sacred  mountain  and 

271 


272  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

let  into  the  wall,  to  pass  on  and  not  trouble  the  inmates  of 
the  house. 

A friend  of  mine  in  Hong  Kong  could  not  let  an  empty 
house  belonging  to  him  because,  on  account  of  a mark  on  the 
hall  door,  it  was  said  to  be  haunted.  He  had  all  the  wood- 
work, and  especially  the  door,  repainted.  The  mark  came 
back.  Again  the  door  was  painted  and  again  the  mark 
made  its  appearance.  My  friend  was  advised  to  get  a Taoist 
priest  to  exorcise  the  devil.  The  priest  said  that  if  he  were 
successful  in  the  first  attempt  his  fee  would  be  only  five 
dollars.  My  friend  told  him  that  if  he  did  not  get  the  devil 
out  in  his  first  attempt  he  would  get  no  pay.  The  priest 
went  with  a bottle  and  searched  round  each  room.  After  get- 
ting to  the  top  room  and  hunting  about  for  a while  he  called 
out,  “ I have  caught  the  devil  and  have  him  corked  up  in  my 
bottle.”  The  mark,  which  we  may  suspect  the  priest  himself 
used  to  make,  appeared  no  more,  and  the  house  was  soon  let. 
West  of  the  Suez  Canal  you  seldom  meet  a man  who  has 
seen  a ghost ; east  of  it  you  seldom  find  a man  who  has  not 
seen  one. 

In  the  reception-hall  of  a house  at  Canton  I once  saw 
a service  of  exorcism.  It  was  thought  that  the  master  of 
the  house,  who  had  lately  died,  being  offended  by  something, 
was  inflicting  sickness  upon  his  son.  A Taoist  priest  was 
called  in.  He  arranged  six  wide  bamboo  tubes  upon  the  floor, 
and  on  each  he  placed  a saucer.  Then  he  fastened  to  the 
sick  boy’s  chest  a card,  or  board,  like  that  which  Chinese 
criminals  are  made  to  wear  describing  their  crimes.  Having 
dressed  himself  in  a dirty  yellow  official  robe,  and  taken  in 
his  hand  a sword,  he,  in  company  with  the  son  who  was 
being  afflicted,  marched  round  the  bamboos  six  times,  each 
time  dashing  a saucer  to  pieces  with  the  point  of  his  sword. 
Then  m^e  saucers  were  put  on,  and  the  operation  was  going 
to  be  repeated  when  I left.  It  was  done  to  drive  down  the 
mischievous  ghost  to  his  own  place. 


SPIRITS 


273 


The  amount  of  money  spont  upon  fire-crackers  to  frighten 
away  ovil  spirits  from  weddings  and  funerals,  and  when  people 
start  upon  journeys,  is  enormous. 

The  habit  of  fighting  fiends  with  firo-crackers  once 
emphasised  a sermon  I was  preaching.  A parade  service  was 
being  held  at  a fort  near  Hong  Kdng,  in  a verandah  that 
overlooked  a Chinese  village.  Suddenly  a roar  of  crackers, 
intended  to  drive  away  evil  spirits  from  a wedding,  came  up 
and  made  me  almost  inaudible.  I pointed  to  where  the 
fusilado  came  from  and  said,  “It  would  bo  well  if  we 
Christians  would  take  as  much  trouble  to  fight  the  devils 
of  drink,  gambling,  impurity,  and  such-like,  as  do  those 
heathen  below  there  to  drive  away  the  evil  spirits  which 
they  ignorantly  dread.” 

Chinese  parents  will  inflict  terrible  burns  upon  their 
children  to  exorcise  the  evil  spirits  with  which  they  fancy 
the  children  have  become  possessed.  They  have  been 
known  also  to  crush  the  body  of  a deceased  infant  into  an 
indistinguishable  mass,  in  order  to  prevent  the  devil  which 
inhabited  it  from  returning  to  vex  the  family. 

A mother  is  sometimes  tormented  with  the  fear  that  her 
child  may  be  only  a spirit,  come  to  stay  for  a little  while. 
Should  a child  grow  sick  unto  death,  it  may  be  put  outside  the 
door  of  the  house  to  die.  This  is  because  the  parents  believe 
that  in  falling  ill  and  dying  their  child  has  proved  to  be  only 
an  evil  spirit.  It  may  be  done,  too,  to  prevent  the  spirit 
of  the  dead  from  finding  its  way  back  and  haunting  the 
house. 

More  people  kill  themselves  in  China  in  proportion  to  the 
population  than  in  any  other  country.  In  a large  number  of 
cases  the  motive  is  revenge,  for  the  spirit  of  the  dead  is 
believed  to  haunt  and  injure  the  living  person  who  has  been 
the  cause  of  the  suicide.  I heard  of  one  coolie  who  attempted 
to  kill  himself  because  he  received  ten  cash  (about  a farthing) 
less  than  he  expected,  and  of  another  who  sat  at  the  door  of 

18 


274  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

somebody  who  had  cheated  him  and  starved  to  death.  A 
certain  Mrs.  Feng  had  words  with  a Mrs.  Wang  about  a pig. 
The  former  threatened  to  take  her  own  life,  but  was  anti- 
cipated by  the  latter  jumping  into  a canal. 

Curious  are  the  prophylactics  which  are  used  against  evil 
spirits.  To  cure  or  guard  against  ague,  for  instance,  a man 
should  write  the  names  of  the  eight  demons  of  ague  on  paper, 
and  then  eat  the  paper  with  a cake. 

Most  Chinese  babies  are  the  unconscious  owners  of  “ lucky 
cash  ” attached  to  them  by  a red  string.  On  their  caps  are 
lucky  characters  or  an  image  of  the  “ old  man  ” who 
especially  looks  after  children.  We  wear  on  our  watch  chains 
coins  and  other  things,  and  call  them  charms.  The  Chinese 
wear  charms  too,  but  they  believe  what  we  have  ceased  to 
believe,  their  power  to  influence  events. 

Wicked  men  flee  when  no  man  pursueth,  and  evil  spirits, 
according  to  the  Chinese,  are  not  less  timid.  They  run  away 
from  a house  over  the  door  of  which  long,  narrow  leaves  are 
nailed,  because  they  mistake  them  for  swords.  They  are 
afraid  of  their  own  shadows  when  seen  in  a mirror,  therefore 
a small  utensil  of  this  kind  is  often  put  upon  or  near  a bed 
to  scare  them.  So  also  is  a knife  with  which  a person  has 
been  killed,  when  a charm  so  valuable  against  evil  spirits 
can  be  procured.  Evil  spirits  are  also  very  nervous  about 
nails  which  have  been  used  in  fastening  up  a coffin.  Some- 
times such  a nail  is  beaten  out  into  a wire,  encased  in  silver, 
and  put  on  the  wrist  or  ankle  of  a boy.  Doors  are  often 
made  circular  because  then,  being  emblematic  of  the  sun, 
they  are  sacred,  and  evil  spirits  cannot  go  through  them. 
A tiger’s  head  painted  on  a square  board  is  put  up  to 
frighten  evil  spirits,  who  are  supposed  to  be  much  afraid 
of  this  animal.  One  reason  why  cow-hide  leather  is  never 
put  into  the  soles  of  the  shoes  provided  for  the  dead  is, 
because  a ruling  spirit  of  the  other  world  is  believed  to  have 
a head  resembling  that  of  a cow. 


SPIRITS 


275 


It  has  occasionally  happened  that  in  different  localities 
men  lost  their  quoues  as  if  by  some  mysterious  conspiracy. 
An  invasion  of  cholera  could  not  have  frightened  the  people 
more.  It  was  decided  that  it  was  the  work  of  evil  spirits, 
and  there  was  a run  upon  charm  manufactories.  It  was 
thought  that  four  Chinese  characters,  mysteriously  woven 
together  and  wrapped  up  in  the  queue,  would  ward  off  the 
spirits. 

What  is  called  a cash  sword  is  considered  to  be  efficacious 
in  keeping  away  evil  spirits.  This  sword,  which  is  generally 
two  feet  long,  is  made  of  about  a hundred  of  the  coins  called 
cash,  fastened  on  iron  rods.  The  sword  is  often  hung  up 
above  beds. 

Those  stone  lions,  which  resemble  the  lato  Lord  Salisbury 
more  than  the  lions  for  which  they  arc  intended,  on  the  roofs 
of  important  Chinese  buildings,  are  probably  charms  against 
diabolical  agency.  May  it  not  be  symbolical  of  the  fact 
that  the  devil  “ goes  about  like  a roaring  lion  ” ? 

When  a man  becomes  ill  or  loses  money,  it  is  sometimes 
thought  that  these  misfortunes  come  from  the  enmity  of  the 
spirit  of  a dead  person  who  was  offended,  either  in  the  present 
or  in  a former  state  of  being.  In  view  of  such  suspicions, 
the  family  prepare  suits  of  paper  clothing,  paper  money, 
hats,  shoes,  umbrellas,  even  paper  steamers,  and  an  offering 
of  meat  and  drink.  Then  Taoist  priests  are  invited  to  burn 
the  paper  offerings  and  present  the  eatables  according  to 
established  method  of  propitiating  inimical  spirits. 

The  Chinese  when  dying  are  generally  terrified  by  the 
evil  spirits  they  fancy  they  hear  and  see.  A miserly 
merchant  on  his  death-bed  shouted  out : “ Don’t  you  see 
the  evil  spirits  ? They  are  calling  for  money.  Get  them 
money  or  they  will  have  me!”  His  wife  had  to  unlock 
the  box  and  bring  out  strings  of  cash  with  which  to  appease 
the  evil  spirits.  Contrast  this  with  the  death  of  a Chinese 
Christian  child  of  which  I have  heard.  She  surprised  the 


276  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


neighbours  by  saying  she  had  not  seen  any  evil  spirits. 
She  said:  “There  are  no  evil  spirits  near  me;  Christ  is 
with  me,  waiting  to  take  me,  and  why  should  I be 
afraid?  ” 

The  Chinese  believe  that  they  have  three  souls.  At  death 
one  soul  remains  with  the  corpse,  another  is  transferred  to  a 
tablet  which  a mandarin  or  literary  person  attending  the 
funeral  touches  with  a vermilion  pencil ; the  third  goes  to  pur- 
gatory. They  vividly  realise  punishment  after  death.  In  the 
North,  for  instance,  when  water  is  scarce  it  is  considered  a 
great  sin  to  waste  it,  and  people  believe  that  in  the  future 
world  they  will  have  to  drink  exactly  as  much  dirty  water 
as  they  have  unnecessarily  fouled  in  the  world  here.  To  save 
himself  from  this,  a man  who  is  conscious  of  spoiling  water 
burns  a paper  representation  of  a cow.  In  this  way  he  sends 
into  the  spirit  world  the  cow  to  drink  the  dirty  water  for 
him.  For  each  species  of  crime  a special  purgatorial  punish- 
ment has  been  devised,  modelled  upon  the  tortures  of  earthly 
Chinese  prisons  and  courts  of  injustice.  Of  these  one  of  the 
quaintest  is  for  dishonest  priests  who  have  taken  money  for 
saying  prayers  and  have  not  done  so.  They  have  to  read 
continually,  in  the  spirit  world,  litanies  from  books  badly 
printed,  with  only  dim  lamps  to  give  them  light. 

How  very  similar  the  Chinese  think  the  world  beyond  is  to 
the  one  here  may  be  seen  by  a feast  called  “ The  Universal 
Rescue,”  which  is  given  from  time  to  time  to  the  hungry  and 
destitute  spirits  who  have  no  near  male  relatives  surviving  to 
make  offerings  of  food.  For  the  entertainment  a spirits’  house 
is  roughly  built,  twenty  feet  long,  eight  high,  and  six  broad. 
It  is  usually  divided  into  five  apartments,  one  a living  room 
for  ladies,  and  another  for  gentlemen,  with  a bathroom  off 
each  where  they  can  wash  after  their  journey.  The  fifth, 
or  middle  room,  is  for  the  “ King  of  the  Spirits,”  whose 
business  it  is  to  prevent  his  subjects  from  quarrelling  over 
the  good  things  provided.  On  the  spirits’  house  a notice  is 


SPIRITS 


277 


placod,  inviting  the  “ good  gentlemen  ” and  “ faithful  ladies” 
in  the  spirit  world  to  occupy  it  and  “ behave  with  propriety  ” 
while  doing  so.  Amongst  the  many  kinds  of  food  provided 
for  the  feast  there  is  one  which  shows  great  thoughtfulness. 
This  is  a species  of  gruel  or  salted  paste,  and  is  intended  for 
spirits  who  may  havo  left  this  world  by  having  their  heads 
cut  off.  They  have  no  teeth  or  mouth  to  cat  the  rest  of 
the  menu,  but  it  is  supposed  they  can  get  this  paste  or  gruel 
into  their  throats. 

Sometimes  no  house  is  built  for  the  spirits  from  tho  other 
world  when  they  get  a day  out  to  visit  their  old  earthly 
haunts.  Economical  hospitality,  however,  is  provided  in  this 
way.  On  the  top  of  a cone-shaped  bamboo  framo  are  placed 
thin  slices  of  pork  and  fish.  The  sides  are  covered  with  more 
slices,  so  that  there  appears  to  be  a solid  mass  of  sliced  fish, 
flesh  or  fowl.  Again  the  spirits  experience  the  hollowness 
of  this  world,  for  instead  of  the  pile  of  food  that  they  require 
after  their  journey,  on  removing  the  fish  and  pork  coating 
there  is  nothing  but  bamboozling  bamboo  ! The  Chinese 
are  deceivers  ever ; when  not  deceiving  men  they  keep  their 
hand  in  by  practising  on  ghosts. 

The  Chinese  have  a low  opinion  of  the  intellectual  capacity 
of  evil  spirits,  and  think  that  they  can  be  easily  deceived. 
If  a man  announce  the  death  of  a parent  or  brother  he  will 
probably  laugh  much.  This  is  not  hcartlessness,  but  is  done 
in  order  that  the  spirits  may  not  have  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  they  have  caused  sorrow.  If  parents  have 
only  one  boy  they  will  sometimes  call  him  by  a girl’s  name, 
and  put  earrings  into  his  ears,  so  that  evil  spirits  may 
think  that  he  is  a girl  and  not  take  him  away.  Sometimes 
they  get  him  adopted  into  another  family,  and  allow  him 
to  spend  some  of  his  time  in  it.  In  this  way  they  think 
that  they  prevent  the  spirits  from  knowing  which  family 
owns  the  boy. 

A funeral  procession  generally  proceeds  by  some  unusual 


278  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

circuitous  route.  This  is  to  puzzle  the  spirit  of  the  departed 
and  prevent  him  coming  back  to  haunt  the  house. 

If  the  spirit  who  is  responsible  for  rain  does  not  send  it, 
he  is  sometimes  put  in  strong  sunlight  for  a while  to  let  him 
see  how  he  enjoys  it.  Occasionally  even  stronger  measures 
are  taken  with  him.  A year  ago  a correspondent  from 
Canton  wrote  thus  in  a newspaper,  “ Magistrate  Fung,  of  the 
district  of  Hing  Ning,  having  prayed  without  result  for  rain, 
dealt  with  the  Demon  of  Drought  in  the  following  manner. 
He  had  an  effigy  made  of  paper  and  bamboo  to  represent 
this  demon.  Then  he  ordered  policemen  to  arrest  the  effigy, 
bring  it  chained  into  his  court  and  make  it  kneel  down  before 
him.  On  its  arrival  the  magistrate  banged  on  the  table, 
scolded  the  effigy  in  a loud  voice  for  causing  the  drought, 
and  ordered  him  to  be  taken  out  and  beheaded.  Upon  this 
some  gentry  of  the  place  came  forward,  and  begged  the 
magistrate  to  give  the  demon  three  days’  grace.  If  after 
this  he  did  not  bring  rain  let  his  head  be  cut  off ; they 
would  be  security  for  him.  The  magistrate  nodded  assent, 
the  effigy  was  taken  out  of  the  court  and  placed  on  the  top 
of  the  city  wall.  Not  quite  three  days  after  there  were 
thunder  and  rain.” 

After  relating  a similar  occurrence,  Abbe  Hue  asks:  “ Les 
Chinois  de  nos  jours  croient-ils  a ces  pratiques  ridicules,  a 
ces  extravagances  ? Pas  le  moins  du  monde.  On  ne  doit 
voir  en  tout  cela  qu’une  manifestation  exterieure,  purement 
mensongere.  Les  habitants  du  celeste  empire  observent  les 
superstitions  antiques,  sans  y ajouter  foi.  Ce  qui  a et6  fait 
dans  les  temps  passes,  on  le  pratique  encore  aujourd’hui, 
par  la  seule  raison  qu’il  ne  faut  pas  changer  ce  que  les 
ancetres  ont  etabli.” 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE 

The  buildings  of  a temple— A holy  show — A confused  idea — The  dust  of 
ages — A mixture  of  fear  and  fun — The  soul  of  an  idol — “Silks, 
porcelains,  and  fancy  gods  ” — Use  of  a temple — The  first  thing  done — 
What  is  prayed  for — Opium  given — Tears  of  blood — Patrons  of  vice — 
Animals  worshipped,  also  stocks  and  stones — What  meant  by  worship — 
Few  services  in  temples — Not  an  easy  chair — Religious  processions — 
Dragon  Boat  and  other  festivals — Trying  to  cheat  God. 

THE  buildings  of  an  important  temple  in  China  are 
usually  ranged  one  behind  another  on  terraces,  and 
reached  by  granite  steps.  The  centre  of  the  stairs  is  often 
levelled  down  and  carved,  an  arrangement  intended  for  spirits 
flying  in  and  out.  Passing  through  the  entrance  gate  you 
get  a general  impression  of  elaborately  sculptured  pillars, 
of  tiled  roofs  turned  up  at  the  corners,  of  bronze  and  stone 
lions  and  dragons,  of  frolicsome  dolphins  in  bright  green 
crockery.  Is  it  a house  of  merchandise?  you  ask,  when 
you  see  in  the  courtyards  stalls  for  the  sale  of  incense- 
sticks,  gaily  coloured  candles,  faith-healing  medicines,  for- 
tune-telling writings,  and  of  everything  upon  which  an 
ecclesiastical  if  not  an  honest  penny  may  be  turned. 

There  is  a market  outside  most  temples,  and  there  are 
many  restaurants  and  portable  kitchens.  In  the  neighbour- 
hood medicine-men,  conjurers,  exhibitors  of  monstrosities, 
and  many  other  people  of  that  kind  establish  themselves. 

279 


280  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

If  the  temple  be  at  all  important  there  is  a permanent 
stage  in  front  of  it,  upon  which  plays  are  acted  for  the 
diversion  of  gods  and  men.  In  the  same  way  the  dramatic 
performances  of  ancient  Athens  were  connected  with  the 
worship  of  Dionysius. 

To  entertain  a local  god  and  his  attendants  on  his  birth- 
day, and  have  a good  time  themselves,  an  association  of 
workmen  made  a large  temporary  theatre  of  bamboo  and 
matting  at  Kowloon,  opposite  Hong  Kong.  As  the  temple 
was  some  distance  from  this  edifice,  the  gods  were  brought 
from  their  home  and  placed  in  a small  shrine.  We  saw  the 
transportation.  Each  divinity  was  borne  on  the  shoulders 
of  twelve  bearers  dressed  in  yellow  silk  robes.  After  these 
other  men,  gorgeous  in  red  and  gold  embroidered  clothes, 
carried  highly  ornamented  glass  receptacles  containing  food 
for  the  gods,  should  their  divinity-ships  require  refreshment 
during  the  outing.  In  front  and  in  rear  of  the  procession 
were  the  usual  umbrella-bearers,  lantern-bearers,  and  tablet- 
bearers,  having  on  their  heads  much-decorated  hats,  and  on 
their  shoulders  official  scarves.  It  was  hot  work  supporting 
their  dignity,  so  they  had  large  white-feather  fans  stuck  in 
their  girdles.  There  was  much  noise  caused  by  the  inevitable 
pipes,  drums,  and  cymbals,  by  the  masters  of  the  ceremonies 
shouting  orders,  and  by  the  laughter  even  of  those  who  took 
prominent  parts  in  the  heavenly  pic-nic.  Salvoes  of  crackers 
greeted  the  holy  show  as  it  passed  the  corners  of  streets. 

When  no  one  will  go  to  the  expense  of  giving  a regular 
theatrical  entertainment  on  the  birthday  of  a god,  poor 
parishioners  sometimes  supply  a make-shift  substitute.  They 
erect  a small  mat  shed  opposite  the  entrance  to  the  temple, 
and  in  this  they  place  cases  like  book-cases,  having  in  them 
small  figures  representing  scenes  from  celebrated  plays. 
Shrubs  and  flowers  adorn  the  sides  of  the  edifice,  and  glass 
chandeliers  with  lustres  hang  from  the  roof.  In  galleries 
there  are  those  who  make  a noise  called  music. 


'195!  JJ"J  °J. 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  281 


At  the  main  door  of  templos  aro  grated  receptacles  for 
crackers  to  bo  exploded,  and  in  front  the  poles  and  tablets 
which  mark  the  Yamons  of  mandarins.  In  fact  a temple  is 
a copy  of  a great  man’s  house.  When  a festival  is  in  pro- 
gress a visitor  has  to  pass  through  lines  of  decrepit,  decaying 
beggars  who  have  reduced  the  display  of  abjectness  and 
sickening  sores  to  a fine  art. 

In  addition  to  the  idol  or  other  curio  which  ho  may  have 
bought  from  a dishonest  priest,  tho  only  thing  which  the 
ordinary  “Christian”  globe-trotter  gets  from  the  inside  of 
a heathen  temple  is  a confused  idea  of  ugly  images,  altar 
vases,  candlesticks,  lanterns,  draperies,  artificial  flowers,  zinc 
incense  burners,  and  tinsel  offerings.  He  understands  as 
little  of  what  he  sees  as  did  that  Persian  visitor  to  London 
who  wandered  into  Westminster  Abbey,  and  then  related  to 
his  countrymen  the  horror  which  overwhelmed  him  when, 
as  he  approached  a huge  idol,  it  opened  its  mouth  and  roared 
loudly.  And  yet  we  think  that  organ  music  is  soothing  ! 

The  dust  of  ages  is  in  Chinese  temples,  and  cleanliness 
is  very  far  from  their  godliness.  Some  idols  are  washed  once 
a year,  but  the  majority  never  seem  to  change  their  clothes 
or  to  take  a bath.  This,  however,  is  not  for  want  of  the 
means  of  washing,  for  a basin  of  water  and  a paper  towel 
are  often  placed  amongst  the  offerings  to  the  gods. 

Though  afraid  to  disregard  them,  the  Chinese  freely  laugh 
at  the  objects  and  ceremonies  of  their  worship.  The  religion 
of  most  of  them  is  a mixture  of  fear  and  fun.  If  a missionary 
is  sarcastic  about  the  idols  after  the  manner  of  Elijah  and 
the  writer  of  the  115th  Psalm,  their  worshippers  are  not 
offended,  but  rather  pleased,  because  they  do  not  love  the 
idols  but  only  fear  them. 

I have  often  observed  idols  being  repaired  and  painted  up 
for  a temple,  and  have  thought  of  Isaiah’s  graphic  description 
of  the  manufacture  of  graven  images.  Inside,  or  it  may  be 
outside,  shops  which  deal  in  this  kind  of  goods  they  are  to 


282  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


be  seen  lying  in  what  looks  like  old  lumber  heaps.  “No 
image-maker  worships  the  gods,”  says  a proverb.  “ He 
knows  what  stuff  they  are  made  of.”  As  a matter  of  fact 
an  idol  is  considered  of  no  importance  until  a soul  is  put 
into  it.  This  is  done  in  the  following  way.  Several  small 
thin  plates  of  silver  are  joined  together  by  silver  chains 
or  wire  and  placed  on  a piece  of  cotton  wool.  Then  a fly 
is  put  into  the  wool,  and  wool,  fly,  and  silver  plates  are  placed 
in  the  hollow  between  the  idol’s  shoulders  and  a small  door 
shut  upon  them.  The  fly  dies  and  its  life  goes  into  the 
silver  plates  that  represent  the  soul.  The  soul  thus  vivified 
makes  the  idol,  which  before  was  nothing,  a divine  person, 
deified  by  a fly!  I see  that  a shopman  in  Shanghai  is 
advertising  “ silks,  porcelains,  and  fancy  gods.” 

A Chinese  temple  is  used  for  many  of  the  purposes  which 
hotels  and  public-houses  serve  in  Great  Britain.  It  is  not 
a drinking-place,  certainly,  but  people  smoke  opium  in  it 
and  it  is  as  much  a lounge  for  idlers  as  are  some  of  our 
free  libraries.  Dirty  people,  apparently  in  the  last  stage 
of  decay,  lie  about.  Barbers  and  pedlars  do  their  business 
within  temple  precincts.  Farm  produce  and  utensils,  boats 
and  coffins  are  stored  in  temples.  A court  of  a temple  is 
frequently  hired  for  a dinner  party  or  other  entertainment. 
For  a consideration  you  can  lay  your  bed  amongst  the 
gods  and  sleep  the  night.  On  the  door  of  a court  may  be 
seen  the  blue  and  red  curtain  that  indicates  that  gambling 
goes  on  within.  The  cocks  and  hens  of  the  temple-keeper 
walk  about  as  if  the  building  belonged  to  them.  Why  not  ? 
They  are  far  more  innocent  than  are  the  astrologers, 
geomancers,  and  physiognomists  who  make  the  place  a den 
of  thieves. 

The  first  thing  worshippers  in  Chinese  temples  do,  after 
kow-towing  and  knocking  the  ground  with  their  foreheads, 
is  to  take  from  the  altar  two  pieces  of  bamboo  root  having 
a concave  and  a convex  surface.  These  they  pass  through 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  283 

incense  flame  and  throw  as  dice  would  be  thrown.  If  the 
round  surface  of  both  turn  up  it  is  a sign  that  the  god  is 
unwilling  to  hear  and  grant  tho  petition  ; if  one  surface  is 
round  and  the  other  flat  ho  is  engaged,  or  cannot  bo  bothered, 
or  will  not  do  what  he  is  requested  to  do.  However,  wor- 
shippers generally  go  on  throwing  the  wood  until  it  fall 
as  they  want  it  to  fall.  Having  discovered  in  this  way 
that  the  god  is  propitious,  the  votary  makes  his  petition, 
and  a priest  or  the  temple-keeper  strikes  the  large  bell 
and  drum  that  stand  alongside  the  principal  altar  in  every 
temple.  This  is  to  call  the  god  to  attention,  for,  as  it  was 
explained  to  me,  he  has  so  much  to  attend  to  that  if  called 
by  word  of  mouth  only  he  might  be  too  busy  or  too  tired 
to  listen.  Another  way  of  ascertaining  the  divine  will  is 
to  take  from  an  altar,  where  there  is  always  at  least  one 
ready,  a receptacle  made  of  a joint  of  bamboo  in  which 
are  sticks  about  eight  inches  long,  having  numbers  upon 
them.  The  tube  is  shaken  and  the  number  on  the  stick 
that  falls  first  out  is  noted.  It  is  then  given  to  the  temple- 
keeper,  and  ho  supplies  one  or  two  strips  of  paper  or 
parchment,  having  on  them  a corresponding  number.  The 
papers  contain  writing  about  the  matter  prayed  for,  so 
oracular  that  it  cannot  be  understood,  or  else  something  that 
is  no  better  than  a truism. 

By  this  or  similar  means  people  try  to  get  from  the  gods 
tips  for  betting  or  enlightenment  that  may  enable  them  to 
guess  correctly  in  the  lotteries  where  so  many  seek  fortune. 

In  religion,  as  it  now  is  in  China,  there  is  very  little  that 
uplifts  morally,  much  less  spiritually.  The  prayers  people 
pray  in  the  temples  nearly  all  involve  the  principle  of  a 
bargain,  or  betoken  slavish  fear,  or  are  for  directing  dreams 
and  other  things  that  may  help  on  mundane  matters.  A 
woman  of  Ningpo,  who  used  to  spend  all  the  money  she 
could  get  on  incense-sticks,  candles,  and  other  offerings,  was 
asked  what  advantage  she  expected  from  doing  so.  She 


284  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

replied  that  she  hoped  to  induce  the  god  to  allow  her,  when 
born  again,  to  be  a man,  which  would  be  great  promotion. 

Paper  images  of  women  may  sometimes  be  seen  fixed  in 
an  inverted  position  to  the  rails  of  an  altar.  It  is  thought 
by  their  daughters-in-law,  husbands,  or  whoever  the  sufferers 
may  be,  that  the  women  whom  the  images  represent  will 
be  changed  in  their  lives,  and  especially  in  their  tempers, 
by  the  action  of  the  god.  Paper  figures  of  men  are 
also  affixed  by  mothers,  wives,  or  concubines  for  the  same 
reason. 

In  the  lower  apartments  and  courts  of  a temple  at  Faatee, 
opposite  Canton,  I saw  on  a festival  in  the  first  month  quite 
a thousand  women  kow-towing  and  manipulating  lighted 
materials  in  different  ways  in  order  to  get  a good  husband, 
manage  a bad  one,  or  be  blessed  with  male  offspring.  In 
upper  rooms  of  the  temple  men  were  doing  the  same  in 
reference  to  wives  and  sons. 

When  a woman  has  been  blessed  with  offspring  she  goes 
to  a temple  to  offer  incense  on  the  thirtieth  day  after  the 
birth  of  a boy,  and  on  the  fortieth  after  that  of  a girl. 

Seeing  on  one  occasion  the  mouth  of  an  idol  smeared 
over  with  what  looked  like  tar,  I asked  for  an  explanation, 
and  was  told  that  women  afflicted  with  opium-using  husbands 
pray  that  these  self-indulgent  ones  may  be  induced  to  smoke 
less  of  the  family  income.  When  a wife  thinks  that  the 
prayer  is  answered,  she  puts  opium  on  the  mouth  of  the  god 
to  reward  him. 

A less  dissipated  god  is  the  god  of  wealth,  as  represented 
by  images  which  I have  sometimes  seen.  In  these  he  was 
dressed  in  sackcloth,  and  red  paint  figuring  tears  of  blood 
was  under  his  eyes.  He  was  weeping  because  his  father 
had  died  and  he  could  not  share  with  him  a fortune  that 
had  just  come  to  him.  Would  this  grieve  you  as  much, 
young  men  of  Britain? 

Beside  the  altar  in  most  temples  there  is  a box  covered 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  285 


with  silk  or  cloth  standing  upon  a pedestal.  This  contains 
the  seal  of  the  god,  and  it  is  stamped  upon  paper  charms 
or  clothes,  for  the  healing  of  tho  sick  or  the  exorcising  of 
devils. 

Peoplo  take  a vow  to  keep  a lamp  burning  before  some 
idol  in  his  temple  for  a month,  a year,  or  some  specified 
tirao.  They  usually  pay  tho  temple-keeper  to  buy  the 
oil  and  trim  the  lamp. 

Some  of  the  divinities  are  patrons  of  vice,  as  Tu  Chieng 
Kui,  the  god  of  gamblers,  and  Ngii  Hieng  Kui,  the  god 
of  thieves.  The  latter,  when  on  earth,  once  stolo  a kettle 
for  cooking  rice.  His  mother  scolded  him  for  depriving 
people  of  the  means  of  cooking  their  food,  and  advised  him 
to  bring  it  back  to  the  place  from  which  he  took  it.  He 
said  that  the  light  of  morning  would  soon  appear  and  that 
he  would  be  detected.  The  kind-hearted  woman  replied 
that  if  he  would  make  the  attempt,  the  heavens  would  bo 
darkened  so  that  ho  could  return  it  in  safety.  He  started 
off  with  the  kettle  and  took  it  back  miseen  with  the 
assistance  of  supernatural  darkness.  To  the  god  of  thieves 
people  burn  incense-sticks  before  going  on  a robbing  expe- 
dition, as  Sicilian  bandits  say  prayers  to  a saint. 

Some  Chinese  worship  different  kinds  of  animals.  The 
monkey,  when  an  idol,  is  represented  as  a man  sitting,  the 
face  only  being  like  a monkey.  “His  Excellency  the  Holy 
King”  is  the  title  under  which  this  creature  is  worshipped. 
His  image  may  be  seen  at  the  temple  of  The  Five  Genii  in 
Canton.  Often  his  name  is  written  upon  a slip  of  paper 
and  used  instead  of  an  image.  The  monkey  is  believed  to 
have  control  over  hobgoblins,  witches,  and  elves,  and  to  be 
able  to  give  success  to  human  endeavours.  A black  monkey 
is  regarded  as  the  servant  of  the  god  of  prostitutes,  and  so 
is  a white  rabbit.  The  fox  has  the  seals  belonging  to  high 
offices  of  government  in  his  keeping,  and  is  therefore 
worshipped  by  mandarins. 


286  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

An  image  of  a winged  tiger  standing  on  its  hind  legs, 
and  holding  a coin  in  its  mouth  or  paws,  is  worshipped  by 
gamblers.  Many  gambling  dens  have  this  sign  over  the  door. 

A dog,  the  dragon,  a white  cock,  and  other  animals,  real 
and  imaginary,  are  also  objects  of  worship.  There  is,  too, 
the  worship  of  large  trees  and  of  curiously-shaped  stones 
which  has  prevailed  amongst  nearly  all  nations  of  antiquity. 
These  stocks  and  stones  often  represent  the  gods  of  land  and 
grain,  and  may  be  seen  on  altars  in  the  country  and  at  the 
corners  of  streets  with  sticks  of  incense  burning  before  them. 

When  Confucianism  was  the  only  religion  of  China  there 
was  no  idolatry  in  the  empire,  but  when  Buddhism  and 
Taoism  were  recognised  by  the  Government,  State  gods  were 
invented.  Of  these  the  three  principal  are  Fu-hsi,  the  god 
of  medicine,  Kwan  Yu,  the  god  of  war,  and  Wan-ch’ang,  the 
god  of  literature. 

High  officials  are  obliged  at  certain  times  to  do  acts  of 
worship  before  these  and  other  gods,  and  literary  and  military 
sages.  In  spring  and  autumn  ceremonies  are  performed  by 
mandarins  in  honour  of  the  god  of  war  and  of  Confucius,  and 
incense  is  burned  to  Heaven  and  Earth,  to  the  Mountains 
and  the  Streams,  to  the  Wind,  to  Thunder  and  Rain.  These 
last  are  not  considered  to  be  gods,  but  servants  of  Heaven 
who  are  able  to  benefit  or  injure  mankind.  The  objects 
which  the  Emperor  yearly  or  half-yearly  worships  at  Peking, 
the  mandarins  in  the  provinces,  as  his  representatives,  have 
also  to  worship,  and  on  the  Emperor’s  birthday,  or  in 
mourning  for  his  death,  they  must  rejoice  or  lament  with 
three  kneelings  and  nine  knockings  in  the  temple  which  is 
dedicated  to  him  in  each  provincial  city. 

Before  a Chinese  general  goes  to  war  he  officially  worships, 
kneeling  down  and  pouring  wine  on  the  ground.  When  he 
has  finished,  a cup  of  wine  is  thrown  upon  his  flag  and  the 
master  of  ceremonios  cries  out,  “ Unfurling  the  flag,  victory 
is  obtained ; the  cavalry  advancing  merit  is  perfected.” 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  287 

I do  not  know  what  a sca-gcncral  or  admiral  docs,  but 
this  is,  in  some  places,  the  worship  which  is  offered  to  the  god 
of  the  sea  by  the  number  one  man  of  a Chinese  junk  before 
starting  on  a voyage.  He  spreads  at  the  bow  a sheet  of 
paper,  and  on  this  places  some  simple  altar  furniture.  Then 
he  sacrifices  a cock  by  cutting  its  throat  and  lets  it  bleed 
on  the  paper.  When  the  blood  dries,  the  paper  is 
burnt. 

It  is,  however,  difficult  always  to  discover  what  the  Chinese 
mean  by  worship.  Very  often  no  more  is  meant  than 
reverencing  and  paying  respect.  The  mandarins  are  too 
intelligent  and  well-educated  not  to  know  that,  for  instance, 
the  fox  has  nothing  to  do  with  their  seals  of  office, 
but  becauso  the  ignorant  people  think  that  it  has  they 
pretend  to  reverence  this  animal. 

There  are  few  services  as  we  understand  them  in  temples. 
When  they  do  take  place  the  so-called  music  is  furnished 
for  the  most  part  by  drums,  horns,  gongs  and  pipes.  The 
birthday  of  the  god  is  the  time  when  the  postures  and 
impostures  of  priests  may  best  be  seen. 

The  only  thing  that  at  all  resembles  a sermon  is  the 
occasional  reading  aloud  of  the  Sacred  Edict.  This  is  a 
collection  of  moral  essays,  if  not  written  at  least  published 
by  the  Emperor  Yung  Ching  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century. 

I saw  a procession  to  and  service  in  a temple  in  the  native 
city  of  Shanghai  in  order  to  pray  off  plague.  How  much 
more  efficacious  it  would  be,  I thought,  if  those  numerous 
priests,  divesting  themselves  of  gorgeous  ecclesiastical  clothes 
and  putting  aside  deafening  bells  and  cymbals,  would  clean 
the  streets. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Norman  M’Leod,  who  was  a big,  burly  man, 
was  once  in  a boat  with  a thin,  little,  frail-looking  brother 
minister.  As  they  were  crossing  the  Highland  loch,  one  of 
those  fierce,  quick  mountain  storms  came  down,  and  the  boat 


288  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


was  in  danger.  “ Brother,”  said  the  little  minister,  “ let  us 
pray  together.”  “ Na  ! na  ! ” said  the  Highland  boatman  ; 
“ the  wee  one  can  pray,  but  the  big  one  maun  tak’  an  oar ! ” 
That  is  sound  theology,  but  it  would  not  suit  the  purpose 
of  any  kind  of  Chinese  priest. 

In  a few  temples  in  China  I have  seen  a chair  which 
certainly  was  not  an  easy  one.  It  was  a sedan,  intended 
to  be  carried  by  means  of  poles  on  men’s  shoulders. 
On  the  seat,  back,  and  arms  of  the  chair  knives  with  their 
edges  upwards  were  fixed.  When  the  god  is  prayed  to  for 
rain  and  none  comes,  the  head-man  of  the  village  orders 
a religious  procession,  sits  in  the  chair  on  the  knives  without 
clothes  (he  is  a sort  of  ex-officio  chairman),  and  is  carried 
a certain  number  of  times  round  the  temple  or  village.  It 
is  thought  that  this  should  soften  the  god’s  heart  even  more 
than  the  prohibition  of  pork,  which  is  often  made  with  the 
same  end  in  view  under  similar  circumstances.  Sir  Henry 
Blake,  when  Governor  of  Hong  Kong,  bought  one  of  these 
knife  chairs  at  a village  temple  as  a curio,  and  his  A.D.C. 
told  me  that  the  head-man  said  that  he  was  glad  the  chair 
was  gone,  as  he  had  experienced  one  ride  on  its  knives  and 
did  not  hanker  after  another. 

It  would  take  too  much  space  to  describe  even  the  most 
important  of  the  religious  festivals  that  are  held  from  time  to 
time.  The  one,  however,  that  most  attracts  the  attention  of 
foreigners  is  the  feast  of  lanterns,  which  begins  upon  the 
fifteenth  day  of  the  first  month.  Parents  who  have  been 
blessed  with  children  in  the  past  year,  or  who  wish  an 
addition  to  their  family,  present  lanterns  at  a temple  devoted 
to  a goddess  called  “ Mother.”  The  relations  of  a bride  often 
send  to  her  a lantern  representing  a god  holding  a child  by 
the  hand.  If  in  the  second  year  she  has  not  had  a child  a 
lantern  representing  an  orange  is  sent.  The  characters  for 
an  orange  and  for  “make  haste”  being  similar,  the  lantern 
is  a punning  reminder  of  her  duty. 


To  face  page  289. 


Dragon  Festival. 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  289 


Lanterns  of  ovory  conceivable  form  are  sold.  They  resemble 
elephants,  dragons,  horses,  lions,  crabs,  shrimps,  beetles, 
butterflies,  flowers,  fruits,  and  so  on.  Human  faces  are 
caricatured,  and  in  some  lanterns  figures  aro  made  to  move 
round  and  round  by  heated  air. 

There  are  at  the  beginning  of  spring  various  kinds  of 
religious  processions  by  day  and  night.  In  one  a life-sized 
buffalo  made  of  bamboo  and  paper  is  carried  about  by  certain 
officials  and  then  burnt.  Believing  that  to  get  a fragment  of 
it  brings  good  luck,  the  crowd  rush  at  the  blazing  quadruped. 
In  another  procession  a dragon  is  represented,  but  it  resembles 
more  a monstrous  centipede,  the  legs  of  the  men  who  move  it 
being  plainly  visible.  The  passage  of  the  dragon  through  tho 
streets  is  thought  to  dispel  evil  influences,  especially  plague 
and  other  kinds  of  sickness. 

In  these  processions  boys  and  girls,  dressed  as  heroes  and 
heroines  of  past  ages,  ride  on  horseback  or  seated  under  gaily 
decorated  pavilions  of  wood,  are  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
men. 

In  religious  processions  the  idols  walk  by  men  getting 
inside  of  them,  or  else  they  are  carried  on  chairs. 

A Chinese  serving  with  the  Hong  Kong  company  of  the 
Royal  Engineers  knew  enough  English  to  ask  if  he  might  go 
to  church  for  three  days.  As  he  was  not  a Christian  the 
request  seemed  extraordinary  until  he  explained  that  he  wished 
to  attend  the  Dragon  Boat  Festival. 

This  festival  is  held  on  the  fifth  day  of  the  fifth  moon  in 
memory  of  Wat  Yuen,  a minister  of  state  who  drowned 
himself  because  he  could  not  get  his  reforms  carried  out.  It 
is  a sort  of  serio-comic  Oxford  and  Cambridge  boatrace. 
The  boats,  which  are  supposed  to  be  searching  for  the  body 
of  the  patriot,  are  from  fifty  to  a hundred  feet  in  length,  and 
three  or  four  feet  wide.  Some  of  them  at  Canton  carry  as  many 
as  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  The  men  sit  two  abreast,  and 
rapidly  propel  the  boat  by  means  of  short  paddles,  to  the 

19 


290  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

accompaniment  of  drums  and  gongs  placed  at  intervals  along 
the  centre  of  the  boat.  A man  with  a fan  or  a flag  in  each 
hand  regulates  the  movements  of  the  scullers.  The  boat  has 
a dragon’s  head  with  open  mouth  and  long  whiskers  in  the 
bow,  and  a dragon’s  tail  over  the  stern.  It  is  decorated  with 
red  flags  and  umbrellas.  At  the  last  festival  at  Canton  there 
was  in  one  boat  a man  dressed  as  a mandarin  with  an  opium 
pipe  and  money  bag  to  caricature  an  unpopular  official. 
Small  parcels  of  boiled  rice  packed  in  leaves,  representing 
the  offerings  fishermen  threw  into  the  river  when  seeking  for 
the  body,  are  eaten  during  this  festival. 

Dragon-boats  are  thought  to  drive  away  plague.  This 
notion  is  derived  from  the  fact  that  from  about  the  date  of  the 
festival  onwards  the  virulence  of  the  plague  begins  to  abate. 

Very  picturesque  were  the  thousands  of  decorated  real  boats 
and  miniature  paper  ones  that  we  saw  during  the  festival  in 
the  harbour  of  Aberdeen,  which  is  a considerable  village  in 
Hong  Kong.  And  the  enormous  crowds  of  spectators  that 
lined  the  shore  were  so  good-humoured  and  well  behaved. 
“Why,”  said  a British  police  inspector  to  us,  “if  you  were 
in  a mob  like  that  in  England  you  would  be  lucky  if  you  kept 
your  shirt.” 

On  the  tenth  night  of  the  eighth  month  the  moon  is  thought 
to  be  largest,  and  then  a festival  in  her  honour  is  held. 
“ Moon  cakes  ” are  offered  to  the  luminary,  and  afterwards 
eaten  by  the  worshippers.  Friends  exchange  all  sorts  of 
moon-shaped  presents. 

The  Chinese  have  yet  to  learn  the  truth  which  St.  Paul 
insisted  on,  probably  thinking  of  heathen  superstition,  that 
God  is  not  mocked.  Miss  Gordon  Cumming  tells  us,  in  her 
“ Wanderings  in  China,”  that  in  one  temple  which  she  entered 
she  noticed  that  little  strips  of  red  paper  were  pasted  over  the 
eyes  of  the  idols.  On  inquiring  why  this  was  done,  the 
priest  explained  that  these  were  prayers  to  the  several  gods, 
telling  them  that  repairs  were  necessary,  and  beseeching  them 


OUTSIDE  AND  INSIDE  A TEMPLE  291 

kindly  to  retire  from  the  temple  till  it  were  again  made  fit 
for  their  presence. 

Chinamen  are  as  convinced  that  they  can  mock  God  as  are 
perhaps  the  majority  of  Englishmen.  Under  the  pretence 
that  the  gods  are  content  with  the  spirit  of  things,  sacrifices 
of  no  value  are  offered  to  them,  such  as  a smear  of  blood,  a 
tuft  of  feathers,  a decoction  made  of  pig-skin  instead  of  opium, 
while  the  real  thing  goes  to  the  crafty  priests. 

“ Do  the  idols  really  partake  of  the  sacrifices  ? ” asked  a 
missionary. 

“ No,”  was  the  prompt  and  cynical  reply  of  a hearer. 
“Nobody  would  offer  oblations  if  they  weighed  an  ounce  the 
less  for  the  family  feast.” 

Oranges,  which  look  better  than  they  taste,  are  kept  for 
giving  in  the  temple,  just  as  a doubtful  coin  is  reserved  for 
the  offertory  in  “ Christian  ” England. 

A Chinese,  in  order  to  insure  for  the  future,  subscribes  two 
or  three  hundred  dollars  to  a temple.  He  has  it  registered  as 
a thousand  dollars,  hoping  that  the  god  will  be  deceived  in 
this  simple  wTay.  When  storm-signals  are  put  up  at  Hong 
Kong,  dozens  of  little  paper  junks  are  thrown  by  the  Chinese 
into  the  sea.  They  do  this  to  fool  the  god  into  thinking 
that  the  paper  presentment  is  the  original,  so  that  he  may 
weak  his  wrath  upon  the  former  and  spare  the  latter. 

An  association  is  formed  for  visiting  a sacred  mountain  and 
worshipping  at  the  temples  to  be  found  there.  Then  perhaps 
it  occurs  to  the  members  that  it  would  be  easier  and  cheaper 
to  bring  the  mountain  to  Mahomet.  This  is  done  by 
worshipping  after  a feast  an  image  of  the  mountain  god 
at  a paper  “ mountain.”  The  worshippers  think  that  the 
divinity  will  not  distinguish  between  the  mock  and  the  real 
mountain ! 

The  Chinese  do  not  even  think  that  the  gods  can  take  care 
of  themselves.  When  the  Taiping  rebels  captured  the  city 
of  Ningpo,  an  old  priest  fled  to  the  house  of  the  missionaries 


292  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


for  safety.  They  gave  him  asylum,  but  could  not  help  asking 
him  why  the  gods  did  not  protect  their  priest.  The  poor 
man  replied  that  they  had  all  returned  to  heaven  in  great 
alarm. 

The  people  go  to  a particular  temple  in  Ningpo  on  one  day 
in  the  year  to  pray  for  the  preservation  of  their  homes  from 
lightning,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  the  temple  has  been 
struck  more  than  once. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


MONKS  AND  PRIESTS 


A contemptuous  toleration— Good  beggars  -Roast  duck  for  supper — A 
“ purgatory  pick -purse  ” traffic — A bank  for  the  spirit  world— A hint  to 
Western  clergymen — Ecclesiastical  vestments — “ Bald-headed  asses  ” — 
“ Buddha  is  such  a kind  god  ” — Vain  repetitions — Praying-wheels  and 
circulating  libraries — No  thought  relaxations — “ Need  not  buy  rice  ” — 
“ Let-live  societies  ” — A monastery  described — Nunneries. 

THE  first  monks  of  Buddhism  in  China  were  not  priests, 
and  they  were  even  more  despised  than  arc  their 
successors,  for  their  abandonment  of  father,  mother,  brothers 
and  sisters,  and  their  renunciation  of  marriage  and  the  hopes 
of  offspring,  seemed  a giving  up  of  the  highest  conception  of 
duty  that  a Chinese  forms.  In  self-defence  they  became 
priests  and  received  a contemptuous  toleration,  as  their  official 
work  was  considered  to  be  of  use  in  the  affairs  of  life  and 
especially  in  those  of  death. 

Many  of  the  monasteries  in  China  are  endowed  either  with 
land  or  with  money,  or  with  a tribute  of  rice,  but  usually  with 
not  enough  to  defray  expenses.  This  being  the  case,  the 
grey-robed  monks  come  down  into  the  thoroughfares  of  men, 
and  calling  attention  to  their  wants  by  a gong,  ply  the  craft  of 
mendicancy.  Both  Buddhist  and  Taoist  priests  are  adepts  at 
tricking  money  out  of  simpletons.  Two  of  the  former,  seeing 
some  fat  ducks  in  front  of  a house,  began  to  weep.  A woman 
came  out  and  inquired  what  was  the  matter.  “We  know,” 

293 


294  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

they  answered,  “ that  the  souls  of  our  fathers  have  passed  into 
the  bodies  of  these  creatures,  and  the  fear  we  feel  of  your  killing 
them  will  certainly  make  us  die  of  grief.”  The  birds  were 
at  length  handed  over  to  the  safe  keeping  of  the  “ bonzes,” 
and  that  night  there  was  roast  duck  for  supper  in  the 
presbytery. 

When  people  mourn  their  dead,  priests  ply  a “ purgatory 
pick-purse  ” traffic.  They  tell  the  wife  and  the  mother  of  a 
dead  man  'it  has  been  revealed  to  them  that  he  is  in  great 
misery  in  purgatory,  and  that  the  only  thing  to  be  done  for 
his  release  is  to  hold  a three  days’  service.  The  family 
anxiously  inquire  for  what  sum  they  can  obtain  such  a service. 
After  careful  calculation  the  priests  submit  an  estimate,  and 
the  money  is  got  somehow.  Perhaps  on  the  third  day  the 
principal  priest  will  discover  that  though  the  poor  man  has 
been  nearly  liberated  from  the  pit,  a little  more  money  is 
required  to  get  him  quite  over  the  brink.  This  is  easily 
believed,  because  the  priests  teach  that  the  “spirits  in  prison” 
are  subject  to  the  same  doorkeepers,  gaolers,  and  executioners 
as  torment  people  in  earthly  Chinese  gaols,  and  that  these 
have  all  to  be  bribed.  During  the  three  days’  service,  too, 
the  priests  must  be  entertained  well,  and  also  the  anxious 
friends  who  come  to  inquire  how  the  work  of  liberation 
progresses. 

The  less  unselfish  object  of  Taoist  religious  services  is  to 
appease  the  spirits  of  the  dead  and  prevent  them  from  injuring 
the  living. 

The  priests  conduct  these  services  in  a sing-song  mechanical 
way.  They  talk  and  laugh  and  smoke  in  the  midst  of  them. 
This  may  not  be  irreverence  in  the  eyes  of  a broad-minded 
Deity,  but  it  looks  so  to  those  of  us  who  are  not  habituated  to 
it.  Then  the  priests  have  organised  a bank  for  the  spirit 
world,  and  periodically  announce  their  intention  of  remitting 
money  on  a certain  day.  In  this  bank  the  provident  make 
deposits,  and  believe  that  they  can  draw  upon  them  after 


MONKS  AND  PRIESTS 


295 


death.  “ Keep  your  certificates,”  say  the  spiritual  bankers, 

“ and  give  them  to  some  trustworthy  friend  to  burn  after  your 
death,  and  in  this  way  they  will  reach  you  in  the  world 
beyond.” 

About  twenty  years  ago  a priest  erected  a sort  of  wooden 
sentry-box  in  a street  in  Peking.  Long  and  sharp  nails  were 
driven  into  the  box  on  all  sides.  In  it  his  Reverence  took  his 
stand,  and  declared  his  intention  of  remaining  there  until  the 
sum  required  for  building  the  temple  for  which  he  pleaded 
was  collected.  The  points  of  the  nails  prevented  him  from 
sitting  down  or  even  leaning  in  any  position.  For  two  years 
he  stood  his  sufferings,  which  w^ere  mitigated  as  time  went  on 
by  the  withdrawal  of  the  nails  one  by  one,  as  the  money  which 
each  was  held  to  represent  was  collected  from  the  passers-by. 
We  mention  this  case  as  a hint  to  Western  clergymen  who 
are  raising  money  to  build  churches. 

There  are  gradations  of  monks,  and  according  to  his’reputa- 
tion  for  sanctity,  length  of  service,  and  other  claims,  one  may 
rise  from  being  a servitor  who  performs  menial  offices  to 
officiating  priest,  or  even  to  abbot. 

No  monk  is  allowed  more  than  one  set  of  garments,  and 
these  he  wears  both  day  and  night.  When  officiating, 
Buddhist  priests  are  usually  vested  in  yellow  cloaks  made  of 
many  pieces  patched  together  to  represent  the  rags  of  poverty. 
The  cloaks  are  fastened  across  the  left  breast,  leaving  the 
right  arm  bare.  Their  heads  are  clean  shaven  twice  a month, 
hence  the  appellations,  “bald-headed  asses  ” and  “bald-headed 
turnips,”  which  are  sometimes  given  to  them.  On  their 
heads  three,  six,  or  nine  scars  are  made,  by  allowing  as  many 
pastilles  soaked  in  oil  to  burn  out  on  them.  This  is  done  at 
their  ordination  to  insure  that  the  vows  which  they  take  with 
the  burning  shall  make  an  impression  upon  them.  The  nails 
on  the  fingers  of  the  higher  clergy  are  allowed  to  grow  to  a 
great  length,  and  cleanliness  is  considered  by  them  to  be 
worldly  and  irreligious. 


296  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

Taoist  divines  do  not  shave  their  heads,  but  fasten  the  hair 
on  the  top  of  the  head  with  a pin  or  skewer. 

Some  monks  never  leave  their  cells,  receiving  food  through 
a hole  in  the  door.  This  food  is,  for  those  who  are  true  to 
their  vows  always,  vegetable ; meat,  fish,  eggs,  milk,  and 
butter  being  considered  sinful  to  eat.  There  are  monks, 
however,  who  will  eat  and  drink  like  other  mortals.  One  of 
these,  being  remonstrated  with  for  doing  so,  smiled  and  said, 
“ Buddha  is  such  a kind  god  that  he  pays  no  attention  to 
these  minor  details.” 

Even  his  identity,  as  symbolised  by  his  name,  a monk 
has  to  give  up,  and  take  in  exchange  a so-called  religious 
appellation. 

In  their  desire  to  show  contempt  for  the  things  of  sense 
many  monks  voluntarily  go  beyond  the  routine  of  slavish 
obedience  that  is  required  of  them.  Not  content  with  starving, 
flogging,  and  burning  themselves,  they  invent  for  their  private 
use  tortures  that  would  not  discredit  a Chinese  executioner. 

The  expression  on  the  features  of  most  monks  is  one  of 
blank  abstraction,  which  is  probably  largely  due  to  their 
repeating  Pali  or  Sanskrit  words,  the  meaning  of  which  they 
do  not  understand.  The  repetitions  are  marked  by  beads, 
and  at  services  by  an  acolyte  ringing  a hell  or  striking  a 
wooden,  pot-bellied  fish  that  has  a large  eye,  signifying  watch- 
fulness. As  if  this  devotion  were  not  mechanical  enough, 
praying- wheels  are  sometimes  used.  I have  heard  of  one 
revolving  by  means  of  steam  from  a tea-kettle,  so  that  tea 
and  prayers  can  be  made  at  the  same  time. 

Many  monks  being  too  ignorant  or  too  lazy  to  read,  put 
some  of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  sacred  books  into 
cylinders  and  turn  them  round.  This  is  an  easy  way  of 
getting  through  a circulating  library,  which  we  commend  to 
novel-readers. 

Buddhists  believe  that  they  approach  Nirvana  when  they 
abstract  themselves  from  earthly  desires,  even  from  thought 


MONKS  AND  PRIESTS  297 

itself.  One  monk  passed  nine  yoars  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon 
a wall.  In  most  monasteries  there  is  a “ Hall  of  Contempla- 
tion,” where,  in  nooks  curtained  off,  “ holy  men  ” spend 
weeks  and  months  on  their  knees  contemplating. 

Tho  relaxations  of  more  mundane  monks  are,  for  the  most 
part,  opium-smoking  and  cricket-fighting.  The  lattor  mild 
sport  is  apparently  considered  ono  of  the  legitimate  clerical 
amusements  of  China,  as  the  angler’s  art  is  in  Britain. 

In  China  the  moral  character  of  priests  is  thought  a matter 
of  indifference.  They  are  represented  as  villains  in  popular 
dramas  and  novels.  Criminals,  in  order  to  avoid  arrest  and 
punishment,  sometimes  shave  their  heads  and  enter 
monasteries.  Another  way  priests  are  obtained  is  by  tho 
purchaso  of  boys,  who  are  brought  up  to  tho  business.  Priests 
receive  money  for  exorcising  with  charms  and  liturgies  evil 
spirits,  and  for  engaging  in  worship  in  private  houses.  Some 
get  so  much  outdoor  relief  in  this  way  that  it  is  said  they  need 
not  buy  any  rice. 

Taoist  priests  eat  meat  and  do  not  shave  their  heads.  The 
priests  of  Confucianism  arc  rather  professors  of  ceremony  than 
priests  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word. 

Members  of  “ let-live  ” societies,  believing  in  the  sacredness 
of  life  are  in  the  habit  of  buying  captured  birds  and  fish, 
even  big  valuable  turtles,  in  order  to  give  them  liberty.  At 
the  monasteries  are  places  where  these  people  support  sheep, 
goats,  and  other  animals,  also  big  and  little  fishes,  until  they  die, 
never  allowing  them  to  be  killed  for  food.  If  fowls  thus  kept 
lay  eggs,  the  eggs  are  buried.  No  ecclesiastical  bodies  could 
be  fatter  or  more  lazy  than  the  pigs  which  I saw  luxuriating 
in  their  comfortable  styes  the  first  time  I visited  the  Ocean 
Banner  monastery  at  Honam,  opposite  where  the  steamers 
land  at  Canton.  The  last  time  I was  there  the  fat  livings 
were  vacant,  as  the  incumbents  had  died — not  by  a butcher’s 
knife,  but  perhaps  from  boredom  and  repletion. 

As  we  entered  the  front  door  of  this  establishment  two 


298  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


martial  idols,  with  sword  in  hand,  confronted  us.  Passing 
through  the  first  courtyard  and  coming  to  a porch-like  build- 
ing, our  eyes  fell  upon  four  colossal  images  that  combined 
the  grotesque  and  the  hideous  in  equal  proportions.  They 
guard  for  Buddha  the  four  quarters  of  the  universe.  The 
face  of  one  is  painted  white,  the  faces  of  the  others  red,  green, 
and  blue  respectively.  The  first  idol  holds  an  umbrella,  the 
second  a stringed  instrument,  the  third  a sword,  and  the 
fourth  a serpent.  All  four  kings  of  heaven,  as  they  are  called, 
have  many  strips  of  red  paper  pasted  upon  them.  These 
contain  either  a record  of  vows  to  [be  performed  if  prayer  is 
answered,  or  thanks  for  favours  already  bestowed. 

Going  through  this  porch  we  came  to  the  great  shrine  of 
the  monastery.  Upon  the  central  altar  rests,  in  addition  to 
the  usual  furniture,  an  imperial  tablet  upon  which  is  inscribed 
“ May  the  sovereign  reign  ten  thousand  years,  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand  years.”  From  the  roof  hang  four  banners 
or  streamers,  and  upon  each  of  them  in  velvet  letters  is  the 
name  of  O-mi-to-fat. 

We  saw  the  monks  taking  a meagre  meal  of  rice  in  their 
refectory.  On  boards  suspended  from  the  walls  are  inscribed 
quotations  from  the  classics.  As  the  brethren  are  not  allowed 
to  speak  when  dining,  it  is  supposed  that  they  will  inwardly 
digest  the  words  of  wisdom  which  in  this  way  are  set  before 
them,  as  well  as  their  rice.  In  the  kitchens  we  were  shown 
huge  boilers  in  which  the  rice  is  cooked. 

Every  monastery  prides  itself  upon  the  possession  of  a 
tooth  (what  a number  of  teeth  he  must  have  had  !),  a hair,  or 
some  other  relic  of  Buddha.  This  heirloom  is  preserved  in  a 
bell-shaped  dagoba  made  of  white  marble.  In  the  monastic 
garden  there  is  a pond  containing  sacred  fish. 

The  last  thing  we  were  shown  was  a brick  crematorium 
where,  after  death,  the  remains  of  the  priests  are  burnt  in 
accordance  with  a rule  that  holds  in  reference  to  all  Chinese 
Buddhist  priests. 


MONKS  AND  PRIESTS  299 

Nunneries  in  China  are  common,  tho  inmates  being  for  tho 
most  part  girls,  who  preferred  to  be  nuns  than  wives,  or 
children  of  parents  too  poor  to  keep  them.  Thero  may  be 
virtuous  nuns,  but  an  adage  runs — 


Ten  Buddhist  nuns,  and  nine  are  bad, 
The  odd  one  left  is  doubtless  mad.” 


CHAPTER  XXX 


NEW  YEAR  S DAY  IN  CHINA 


A capon’s  destiny — Kites — The  opening  of  the  seals — New  Year’s  wishes — 
Frightened  by  their  faces — Decorations — The  birthday  of  every  one — 
Official  and  other  devotions — No  one  has  an  empty  mouth — Cathedral 
music — Gifts — Ladies  break  away  from  the  monotony  of  their  lives — 
Resolutions  made — Words  of  good  omen. 


EW  Year’s  day  and  the  few  days  following  are,  with  the 


Dragon  and  Moon  festivals,  the  only  time  when  the 
Chinese  cease  from  their  exaggerated  activity.  Like  our 
Easter,  the  date  upon  which  New  Year’s  day  falls  is  regulated 
by  the  moon.  It  is  generally  about  the  end  of  February. 

At  the  approach  of  the  festival,  street  stalls  are  put  up,  as 
at  an  English  fair,  for  the  sale  of  all  kinds  of  things.  The 
owners  are  said  sometimes  to  sell  at  a loss  in  order  to  realise 
money  to  meet  their  liabilities,  for  New  Year’s  day  is  the 
greatest  of  the  four  annual  settling-up  times  of  the  Chinese. 
He  who  cannot  pay  his  debts  then  is  said  to  have  a capon’s 
destiny,  in  allusion  to  the  number  of  fowls  killed  at  the 
festival.  The  doors  of  his  shop  may  be  carried  away  and 
evil  spirits  allowed  to  enter  his  premises.  In  these  cir- 
cumstances many  commit  suicide. 

It  is  not  considered  good  form  to  dun  any  one  for  debt  on 
such  a joyful  festival  as  New  Year’s  day,  so  the  creditor  looks 
about  for  his  debtor  with  a lantern  in  the  broad  light  of  New 
Year’s  day.  By  a social  fiction  the  sun  is  not  supposed  to 


300 


NEW  YEAR’S  DAY  IN  CHINA  301 

have  risen,  for  thero  is  the  lantern  ; it  is  still  yesterday  and 
the  debt  can  be  claimed. 

But  though  the  Chineso  pretend  to  great  honesty  in  paying 
their  debts  on  New  Year’s  day,  some  of  them  are  not  abovo 
robbing  houses  and  otherwise  behaving  dishonestly  in  order 
to  get  money  to  do  so.  Many  are  like  that  coloured  resident 
of  Georgia,  who  complained  that  ho  was  obliged  “to  work 
hard  all  day  and  steal  all  night  in  order  to  make  an  honest 
living.” 

Before  Chinese  New  Year’s  time  the  gods,  or  at  least  some 
of  them,  leavo  the  idols  and  go  up  to  tho  other  world  to 
report  to  “ the  Pearly  Emperor  Supreme  Ruler  ” how  people 
have  been  behaving  themselves  during  the  year  here  below. 
“ When  the  cat’s  away  the  rats  climb  over  the  bamboo  fence,” 
and  when  these  gods  arc  away  men  do  what  they  like. 

Though  the  great  day  for  flying  kites — a pastime  in  which 
the  Chinese  delight — is  the  ninth  day  of  tho  ninth  moon,  they 
also  indulge  in  it  considerably  as  the  new  year  approaches. 
The  “ wind  chickens  ” or  “ paper  eagles  ” are  sometimes  so 
large  that  it  takes  at  least  three  strong  boys  to  manipulate  them. 
I once  tried  to  pull  one  down  to  earth,  and  it  nearly  pulled 
me  into  the  sky.  They  are  of  all  shapes,  resembling  dragons, 
tigers,  bats,  centipedes,  mosquitoes,  and  many  kinds  of  birds. 
The  hovering  of  a kestrel  and  the  quick  dive  of  a sparrow- 
hawk  are  beautifully  imitated  by  expert  guidance  of  the  string. 
Sometimes  strings  attached  to  the  kite  are  so  arranged  that 
as  it  passes  through  the  air  it  sounds  like  an  iEolian  harp. 
At  night  lighted  paper  lanterns  fastened  to  kites  show  up 
well. 

As  a sign  that  holidays  are  going  to  be  held  the  seals  in 
Government  offices  are  deposited  in  a box  and  sealed  up  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  the  twelfth  month.  “ The  opening  of 
the  seals  ” on  the  twentieth  day  of  the  first  month  is  an 
occasion  of  much  ceremony  at  some  yamens. 

What  was  commanded  to  the  Israelites,  “ Thou  shalt  write 


302  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

them  upon  the  posts  of  thy  house,  and  on  thy  gates  ” (Deut. 
vi.  9),  is  done  by  the  Chinese  when,  before  New  Year’s  day, 
they  paste  red  paper  inscriptions  on  doorposts,  junks,  farm 
implements,  and  upon  almost  everything.  There  is  nearly 
always  a prayer  for  the  “ five  blessings” — riches,  health,  love 
of  virtue,  longevity,  and  a natural  death.  A literary  man’s 
hall  door  would  have  on  it  such  a wish  as  this : — 

“ May  I be  so  learned  as  to  secrete  in  my  mind  three  myriad  volumes, 
May  I know  the  affairs  of  the  world  for  six  thousand  years ! ” 

One  pony’s  saddle  had  a red  New  Year’s  strip  on  it  bearing 
this  legend : — 

“ May  this  be  a prosperous  year,  and  everything  be  as  I want  it.” 


A shopkeeper  would  adorn  his  door  with  such  mottoes  as 
these : — 

“ May  profits  be  like  the  morning  sun  rising  on  the  clouds!” 

“ May  wealth  increase  like  the  morning  tide  which  brings  the  rain  ! ” 
“ Manage  your  business  according  to  truth  and  loyalty.” 

“ Hold  on  to  benevolence  and  rectitude  in  all  your  trading.” 

The  inscriptions  are  generally  made  and  sold  at  tables  in 
the  streets  by  literary  men.  On  the  doors  themselves  are  put 
gold-speckled  paper  and  new  pictures  of  the  “ door  gods.” 
Across  the  windows  are  pasted  strips  of  paper  bearing  the 
notice  “ Chieh,  the  Supreme  Duke,  is  here  ; bad  spirits,  get 
you  gone.”  Some  two  thousand  years  ago  Chieh  gained  great 
power  over  evil  spirits,  and  to-day,  though  they  have  wit 
enough  to  read  writing  they  have  not  sense  enough  to  know 
that  they  are  being  deceived,  and  therefore  sneak  away  when 
they  find  that  their  old  comrade  is  within.  Another  way  of 
making  a spirit  think  that  he  has  been  anticipated,  is  placing 
a little  mirror  over  the  front  door.  Seeing  his  own  ugly  face 


NEW  YEARS  DAY  IN  CHINA  303 

reflected,  he  will  think  that  another  spirit  is  in  possession  and 
will  fear  the  consequences  of  poaching. 

We  may  say  here  that  the  bit  of  glass  which  is  often 
fastened  on  the  front  of  a boy’s  cap  is  also  intended  to 
frighten  evil  spirits.  Seeing  themselves  in  the  glass  they 
run  away  and  leave  the  child  unharmed. 

Just  before  New  Year’s  day  houses  and  temples  are  cleaned, 
and  Chinamen  themselves  will  venture  to  bathe  in  warm  water 
in  which  are  infused  certain  aromatic  leaves. 

The  signboards  of  shops  are  festooned  with  red  cloth,  and 
over  doors  are  placed  highly  coloured  paper  lanterns,  artificial 
flowers  and  ornaments  made  of  red  and  gilt  paper  with  pea- 
cocks’ feathers  stuck  into  them.  Strips  of  blue  paper  on  doors 
indicate  houses  into  which  death  has  entered  during  the  year. 
At  the  door  of  every  house  or  in  the  reception-room  are  placed 
a branch  of  the  New  Year  tree,  a large  citron  called  “ Buddha’s 
fingers,”  and  a plant  of  narcissus,  the  last  growing  in  pots 
containing  no  earth  but  only  water  and  pebbles.  Servants 
and  children  receive  presents  and  acquaintances  use  such 
greetings  as  “ I congratulate  you  on  the  New  Year  ! ” “ May 
your  wealth  increase  ! ” “ May  your  hands  obtain  what  your 
heart  desires ! ” 

New  Year’s  day  is  considered  the  birthday  of  every 
Chinese  person,  and  a child,  even  if  only  born  the  previous 
day,  enters  his  second  year  upon  it.  On  each  succeeding  New 
Year’s  day  the  Emperor  is  re-enthroned,  and  afterwards 
receives  the  congratulations  of  his  ministers  and  the  members 
of  his  household. 

Tsao,  the  god  of  the  hearth  or  kitchen,  represented  either 
by  an  image  or  by  an  inscription  on  paper  placed  over  the 
oven,  may  be  seen  in  all  houses  in  China.  This  deity  watches 
the  everyday  proceedings  of  the  family,  especially  noting  the 
talk  of  the  women  while  they  work.  On  the  twenty-third  of 
the  twelfth  moon  the  god  is  supposed  to  ascend  to  the  world 
above,  with  a report  of  the  family  under  whose  roof  he  has 


304  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

spent  the  year.  On  this  night  offerings  are  presented  to  induce 
him  to  give  as  favourable  a report  as  may  be  consistent  with 
his  notions  of  veracity.  Barley-sugar  will  make  his  mouth 
sticky  and  prevent  him  from  wagging  his  tongue  too  freely, 
so  that  is  a common  offering.  On  the  last  day  of  the  old  year 
the  picture  of  the  old  kitchen  god  is  taken  down  and  a new 
one  pasted  up  in  its  place.  To  the  new  god  cakes,  fruit,  and 
other  offerings  are  made  next  day. 

At  the  dawn  of  New  Year’s  day  the  head  of  each 
household  gives  thanks  at  a temporary  altar  in  the  recep- 
tion-room to  Heaven  and  Earth  for  past  protection,  and 
asks  for  its  continuance  during  the  year  just  begun.  At 
the  same  time  and  place  he  offers  the  following  gifts : five 
or  ten  small  cups  of  tea,  the  same  of  samshu,  different 
kinds  of  vegetables,  five  bowls  of  rice,  ten  pairs  of  chop- 
sticks, an  almanack  of  the  New  Year  tied  with  red  string 
for  luck,  two  or  more  ornamental  candles,  and  a pile  of 
loose-skinned  oranges.  After  this  paterfamilias,  in  the 
name  of  the  assembled  family,  worships  and  makes  similar 
offerings  to  the  ancestral  tablets.  A great  feu  de  joie  of 
crackers  ensues,  and  then  the  men  dress  in  handsome  silk 
clothes  and  pay  complimentary  visits  to  the  different  branches 
of  their  family  and  to  others.  On  the  long  red  visiting-cards 
which  they  use  are  stamped,  besides  their  names,  pictures 
emblematic  of  offspring,  official  employment,  and  longevity, 
the  three  things  most  desired  by  a Chinaman.  After  handing 
in  visiting-cards,  they  shake  their  own  hands  and  not  those 
of  the  people  who  are  waiting  to  receive  callers.  Social 
inferiors  pay  their  respects  to  superiors,  pupils  salute  teachers, 
and  children,  who  are  beautifully  dressed  in  clothes  of  many 
colours,  prostrate  themselves  before  their  parents.  Even  the 
last  baby  of  the  family  will  take  part  in  the  ceremonies,  and 
will  wear  a cap  ornamented  with  eighteen  gold,  silver,  or 
copper  figures  of  the  disciples  of  Buddha. 

Relations  coming  to  call  are  led  to  the  domestic  altar,  where 


NEW  YEAR’S  DAY  IN  CHINA  305 


they  do  reverence  to  the  ancestral  tablets.  Then  tea,  cakes, 
and  sweetmeats  are  handed  round  and  small  packets  of  melon 
seeds,  of  loose-skinned  orangos,  and  of  sugar  and  flour  made  up 
into  browm  balls  are  given  as  presents.  “ During  the  first  part 
of  the  first  month,”  so  runs  a common  saying,  “ no  one  has  an 
empty  mouth.”  This  business  of  visiting  and  saluting  goes 
by  priority  in  the  genealogical  table,  so  a man  in  middle  life 
may  be  heard  to  complain  of  the  fatigues  of  New  Year  time, 
as  he  being  of  a “late  generation  ” is  obliged  to  kowtow  to 
children  twro  feet  long  as  they  are  “older”  than  he! 

And  gods  are  visited  as  well  as  men.  On  Chinese  New 
Year’s  day  I have  found  the  inside  of  a temple  so  in- 
teresting that  I have  remained  there  for  a long  time  in 
spite  of  the  choking  smoke  and  deafening  noise.  The  smoke 
came  from  the  thousands  of  ornamental  candles  and  incense- 
sticks  that  were  lighted,  each  one  by  a worshipper,  and  by 
the  mock  or  lie  money  which  they  set  on  fire  and  throw 
into  tw’o  great  bronze  receptacles.  The  worst  part  of  the 
noise,  or  perhaps  we  should  say  of  the  cathedral  music,  was 
caused  by  a man  who,  with  a club  in  either  hand,  beat  at  the 
same  time  with  all  his  might  a huge  drum  and  an  equally 
large  gong.  All  classes  came  to  contribute  to  the  burning 
and  to  make  at  least  three  chin-chins,  from  the  elaborately 
dressed  mandarin  and  his  w'omankind  to  the  little-dressed 
coolie  with  the  one  and  only  wife  that  he,  poor  fellow,  could 
afford. 

Rare  fruits,  fine  tea,  sweetmeats,  silks,  and  ornaments  are 
sent  as  New  Year  presents.  A selection  is  made  by  the 
recipient,  and  the  remainder  returned  with  this  note  on  the 
red  ticket  that  accompanies  them  : “We  dare  not  presume  to 
accept  such  precious  gifts.”  The  compliment  is  returned  up 
to  the  same  value. 

It  is  a tradition  that  w7hen  the  people  of  Hang-Yang 
offered  a pigeon  as  a New  Year  gift  to  a certain  philosopher, 
he  accepted  the  bird,  but  let  it  fly  away  and  said,  “All  things 

20 


306  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


should  live  happily  on  this  day.”  This  is  the  reason  why 
many  Chinese  will  not  eat  animal  food  upon  New  Year’s  day. 
All,  however,  partake  of  dumplings.  These  are  to  the  Chinese 
New  Year  what  plum-pudding  is  to  our  Christmas  in  England, 
and  indeed  the  two  days  are  celebrated  much  in  the  same 
way,  only  that  the  Chinese  seldom  get  drunk.  To  eat  cakes 
of  ordinary  grain  on  New  Year’s  day  instead  of  dumplings  is 
considered  like  not  having  any  festival.  The  food  for  the 
feasts  is  cooked  before  the  first  day  of  the  year,  as  on  that 
day  no  cooking  is  done. 

Chinese  New  Year's  holidays  are  spent  for  the  most  part 
in  ingenious  kinds  of  gambling,  in  the  dreamy  forgetfulness 
of  opium,  and  in  sitting  well  dressed,  doing  nothing,  in  erect 
blackwood  chairs. 

Great  numbers  of  crackers,  fastened  together  and  sus- 
pended from  the  tops  of  houses  to  the  bottom,  are  exploded 
on  New  Year’s  day,  and  the  day  before  and  after.  These 
are  meant  to  frighten  away  evil  spirits.  In  places  where 
there  has  been  a particularly  fierce  fight  with  devils  one 
walks  knee-deep  in  the  red  paper  debris  of  explosives. 
Drums,  gongs,  cymbals,  and  every  article  that  will  give 
forth  a sound  are  banged  indefatigably  all  day  long  and  far 
into  the  night. 

Ladies  break  away  from  the  monotony  of  their  lives  at  this 
season.  From  the  fourth  to  the  seventh  day  they  worship  at 
the  shrine  of  the  goddess  who  presides  over  marriage,  and 
attend  exhibitions  of  flowers  in  their  best  clothes  and  in  the 
conspicuous  disfigurement  of  paint  and  cosmetics.  The 
fifteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  when  the  Feast  of  Lanterns 
is  celebrated,  is  another  ladies’  day.  They  throng  the  streets 
at  night  to  gaze  at  the  illuminations  and  fireworks  (the  latter 
called  the  “letting  off  of  flowers”),  and  to  guess  the  riddles 
which  are  inscribed  on  lanterns  hung  at  the  doorways  of 
houses. 

The  Chinese  think  that  a new  year  brings  to  them  a fresh 


NEW  YEAR’S  DAY  IN  CHINA  307 

lease  of  life,  and  they  make  then  as  many  fragile  resolutions 
as  wo  do.  On  the  last  day  of  the  year  boys  will  shout  out  in 
tho  streets,  Mai  saoit  (“  I will  sell  my  idle  ways  ”),  with  the 
laudable  desire  of  being  more  diligent  during  tho  new  year. 

Ono  must  be  very  careful  only  to  speak  words  of  good  omen 
on  New  Year’s  day.  Tho  words  that  they  write,  too,  on  that 
day  the  Chinese  think  give  a good  or  a bad  character  to  the 
whole  year,  so  they  begin  their  letters  with  such  words  as 
“ Happiness,”  “ Wealth,”  “ Long  life.”  Superstitious  im- 
portance is  also  attached  to  the  first  person  met  on  New 
Year’s  day.  To  meet  a fair  woman  on  first  going  out  is 
an  omen  of  good  luck,  but  to  meet  a woman  is  only  one 
degree  better  than  to  meet  a Buddhist  priest,  who  is  regarded 
as  foreboding  the  worst  possible  fortune. 

Of  the  many  insults  and  acts  of  brutal,  useless  bullying 
that  were  inflicted  upon  the  Chinese  by  tho  foreign  armies 
after  the  Boxer  trouble,  none  were  more  felt  than  the  inter- 
ruption and  prohibition  of  New  Year’s  festivities.  No  one 
was  allowed  to  explode  fire-crackers.  Even  formal  bows  on 
the  streets  were  forbidden  by  the  Japanese  police.  It  was 
not  considered  safe  to  perform  the  usual  ceremonies  even  in 
the  privacy  of  one’s  own  courtyard.  Women  were  arrested 
for  indulging  in  what  they  considered  seasonable  gambling. 
Under  these  strange  and  bitter  conditions  many  Chinese  were 
heard  to  exclaim  that  it  would  have  been  better  not  to  have 
any  New  Year  at  all ! 


CHAPTER  XXXI 


MISSIONARIES 


Without  authority  and  without  preparation — The  selection  of  missionaries — 
Objections  answered — Testimony  of  Chinese  themselves — Method  of 
work— Humanising  as  well  as  proselytising — Unpaid  commercial  travel- 
lers— China  perfectly  tolerant — Missionaries  easy  to  attack — Even 
medical  missions  misunderstood — Curious  questions — The  ideal  mis- 
sionary— A “London  Christian” — Missionaries  are  not  such  fools  as 
they  look. 

I HAVE  never  been  officially  connected  with  foreign 
missions,  and  do  not  hold  a brief  for  missionaries,  but, 
being  weary  of  ignorant  abuse  of  people  who,  after  all,  are 
God’s  creatures,  I would  like  to  advance  some  extenuating 
circumstances  from  my  experience  in  China  why  all  the 
missionaries  in  that  country  should  not  be  hanged. 

Were  missionaries  cockroaches  or  black-beetles  they  could 
not  have  been  more  scorned  than  they  were  on  board  the  ship 
that  brought  me  across  the  Pacific  on  my  way  to  Hong  Kong. 
Even  the  captain,  who  seemed  to  be  both  a good  and  a 
sensible  man,  became  mad  when  he  spoke  of  them.  I inquired 
why  this  was,  and  he  answered,  “ One  day  when  I was 
smoking  a cigar  a missionary  walked  up  to  me  and  said, 
* Do  you  know,  Captain,  that  you  are  committing  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  by  smoking  ? ’ This  is  why  I am 
not  in  love  with  missionaries.”  “ But  why,”  I asked,  “ should 
you,  on  account  of  one,  so  furiously  rage  against  all,  especially 
as  that  one  seems  to  have  been  a lunatic,  or  at  least  an  idiot? 

308 


MISSIONARIES 


309 


He  may  have  been  ono  of  those  persons  who  are  not  mission- 
aries at  all,  because  they  havo  never  been  sent  by  proper 
authority,  but  have  come  into  tho  mission-field  for  reasons  of 
their  own.  It  would  bo  well-spent  money  were  missionary 
societies  to  bribo  idiots  like  the  ono  you  struck  upon  to  stay 
at  homo  lest  they  cause  heathen  Britishers,  heathen  Chinese, 
or  any  other  heathen  people  to  blaspheme.”  Unfortunately 
for  the  cause  they  have  at  heart  some  missionaries  are 
without  a saving  sense  of  humour.  One  of  these  had  “The 
Lord  is  my  shepherd  ” painted  on  her  trunk.  This  did  not 
edify  as  she  hoped  it  would  when  the  notice  “Not  wanted  on 
the  voyago  ” was  stuck  on  after  it. 

“Iam  going  to  send  my  boy  to  see  the  world,”  said  the 
father  of  a not  very  presentable  son.  “Are  you  not  afraid 
of  the  world  seeing  him?”  asked  a candid  friend.  Those 
who  select  missionaries  cannot  be  too  careful  as  to  the 
specimens  they  allow  the  heathen  to  see.  We  should  wash 
our  soiled  linen  at  home.  I do  not  wish  to  defend  certain 
untrained  Americans  who,  coming  out  first  as  colporteurs, 
blossom  into  Reverend  Doctors,  and  then  trade  in  houses 
and  land  for  the  societies  they  represent,  if  not  for  themselves. 

Before  leaving  Hong  Kong  I saw  an  annual  consignment  of 
female  missionaries  land  in  order  to  be  distributed  throughout 
China.  Their  physical  appearance  did  not  impress  one. 
What  waste  of  money  to  send  out  people  whom  a fever  or 
two  may  sour  and  depress  and  necessitate  their  becoming 
returned  empties ! True,  those  who  select  female  mission- 
aries are  on  the  horns  of  a dilemma.  Well-favoured  girls 
marry  and  leave  the  business.  Anaemic,  unladylike,  partially 
deformed  ones,  who  have  no  chance  either  at  home  or  abroad 
in  the  matrimonial  line,  do  not  physically  adorn  the  Gospel 
or  make  its  message  attractive  to  the  heathen.  If  the  beauty 
of  holiness  were  always  underneath  an  ugly  exterior,  we  would 
not  have  made  the  above  remark.  And  how  much  more 
attractive  it  is  when  it  coexists  with  physical  good  looks  and 


310  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


the  ways  of  one  who  could  not  be  mistaken  for  anything  but  a 
gentlewoman ! 

No  people  are  more  misunderstood  or  arouse  more  senseless 
prejudice  than  missionaries.  They  are  frequently  thought  of 
as  visionaries  who  imagine  that  a little  street  preaching  will 
induce  the  Chinese  or  other  heathen  peoples  to  become 
Christians.  In  any  case,  it  is  asked,  “ Are  not  the  heathen 
better  left  alone,  and  are  not  the  religions  they  have  the  ones 
that  are  best  suited  to  them?”  These  objectors  I would 
answer  by  asking,  “ Have  you  gone  with  missionaries  to  their 
stations  and  seen  them  at  work  ? Have  you  visited  heathen 
temples  and  seen  the  people  at  worship?  ” 

An  English  merchant  who  had  come  home  was  asked  about 
a medical  mission  hospital  in  the  Chinese  town  where  he  had 
resided.  He  replied  that  he  had  never  heard  of  it,  and  did  not 
believe  that  it  was  there.  On  his  return  to  the  Chinese  town 
he  found  that  the  hospital  was  in  the  street  in  which  he  lived 
himself.  The  real  work  amongst  natives  is  not  seen  by 
Europeans  unless  they  go  to  look  for  it. 

Not  a few  of  those  who  scoff  at  missionary  work  are  like 
the  thief  who,  when  convicted  on  the  evidence  of  three  wit- 
nesses of  stealing  a horse,  complained  that  he  could  easily 
have  produced  a hundred  witnesses  who  did  not  see  him 
do  so. 

A missionary  bishop  in  China  related  the  following  to  me. 
He  had  at  one  time  translated  the  New  Testament  into  the 
Chinese  that  was  understood  in  his  district,  and  when  doing 
so  he  used  every  now  and  then  to  call  together  natives,  both 
Christian  and  heathen,  and  read  to  them  his  work  as  far  as  it 
had  gone.  When  he  had  finished  reading  the  first  chapter  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  in  which  St.  Paul  describes  the 
condition  of  ancient  heathen  morality,  one  intelligent  Chinese 
remarked,  “ The  rest  of  your  work  you  may  have  done  in 
England,  but  what  you  have  just  now  read  so  perfectly 
describes  China,  that  it  must  have  been  written  in  the 


MISSIONARIES  311 

country.”  And  the  other  hearers  said  tho  same.  Even  in 
the  opinion  of  some  of  her  own  people,  thon,  China  doos  need 
a hotter  religion  and  morality  than  she  has. 

And  in  proportion  to  the  need  in  which  China  stands  of  tho 
Gospel  is  the  difficulty  of  making  her  comprehend  and  appre- 
ciate its  message.  To  the  Greeks  of  old  the  sublimo  self- 
sacrifice  of  tho  Cross  of  Christ  seemed  foolishness,  and  to  the 
Chinese  now  it  has,  when  first  they  hear  it,  the  same  appear- 
ance. To  a missionary  who  had  described  the  death  of  our 
Saviour,  a Chinese  remarked,  “ That  Jesus  Christ  plenty 
big  fool.” 

Those  who  know  the  crowd,  the  noise,  the  smells,  and  tho 
heat  in  the  narrow  streets  of  a Chinese  town,  aro  aware  that 
street  preaching  hero  at  least,  is,  as  a rule,  impossible. 
What  missionaries  do  is  this.  On  first  coming  out  they  get 
teachers  and  work  hard  at  tho  colloquial  language  of  tho  dis- 
trict in  which  they  are  to  be  located.  If  the  station  he  a 
well-established  one,  they  will  find  in  it  a primary  school,  a 
high  school,  and  what  is  proudly  called  a theological  college. 
This  last  is  composed  of  pupils  from  the  two  former  who  seem 
likely  to  become  good  catechists  and  native  clergymen. 
“ Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  Me,”  said  our  Lord, 
and  the  schools  are  intended  to  facilitate  this  result,  and  also 
as  a means  of  getting  hold  of  the  grown-up  relatives  of  the 
children. 

We  speak  of  the  romance  of  war  and  of  the  romance  of  the 
mission-field,  but  on  active  service  in  both  cases  the  arrange- 
ments are  of  a most  practical  nature. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  “ Is  not  missionary  effort  like  that  of 
a blind  fowl  picking  at  random  after  worms  ? ” to  use  a 
Chinese  saying.  It  has  been  calculated  that  only  the  ninth 
part  of  a Chinaman  falls  per  annum  to  the  bag  of  each  of  the 
foreign  and  native  Christian  workers.  Is  the  game  worth  the 
candle  ? The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  thought  so  when  He  gave 
His  marching  orders.  Nor  is  the  proportion  between  converts 


312  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

and  workers  muck  more  satisfactory  in  the  large  cities  of 
Great  Britain. 

It  should  be  remembered  by  those  who  complain  of  the  few 
converts  made  that  mission  influence  extends  far  beyond  the 
circle  of  actual  adherents — that  prejudices  are  modified,  and 
confidence  won  from  multitudes  who  as  yet  give  no  sign  of 
any  personal  leaning  to  the  foreign  faith.  Missionaries  sow 
the  seed,  and  though  it  may  not  fructify  in  their  day,  a 
glorious  harvest  may  be  reaped  by  their  successors. 

In  her  book  “ The  Yangtze  Valley  ” Mrs.  Bishop  states 
that  a Chinese  servant  of  hers  said  that  he  liked  to  serve 
missionaries  because  he  never  got  boots  thrown  at  his  head 
“in  the  foreign  teachers’  houses.”  This  quaintly  alludes  to 
the  indirect  and  unconscious  influence  for  good  of  mis- 
sionaries. Control  of  temper  amidst  the  trifling,  perhaps,  but 
continuous  torments  of  the  tropics,  payment  of  wages  agreed 
upon,  kind  treatment  of  servants — the  fame  of  such  things  as 
these  causes  inquiry  to  be  made  about  the  “ Jesus  religion,” 
and  arouses  a desire  to  learn  what  is  the  power  making  for 
righteousness  which  it  contains.  In  this  way  is  given  a daily 
object-lesson  of  justice  and  unselfishness. 

Those  who  have  honestly  tried  to  understand  missionaries 
and  their  work  know  that,  with  few  exceptions,  their  lives  are  a 
standing  reproach  to  the  self-indulgence  of  the  average  man- 
darin, not  to  speak  of  the  European.  What  more  natural  than 
to  sneer  at  missionaries  and  wish  to  get  rid  of  the  reproach  ? 

Missionary  work  is  humanising  as  well  as  proselytising, 
and  every  mission  is  a centre  of  light  and  leading.  It  is  the 
only  agency  practicable  for  extending  into  the  interior  the 
influence  of  Western  civilisation,  for  missionaries  are  the  only 
foreigners  who  are  in  touch  with  Chinese  native  feeling.  The 
official  classes  are  aware  of  this,  and  hence  their  hostility 
to  missionaries.  They  feel  that  the  enlightenment  of  tho 
millions  means  the  extinction  of  their  own  authority  over 
them. 


MISSIONARIES  313 

European  merchants  in  China,  instead  of  abusing  mis- 
sionaries, ought  to  help  them  in  every  way,  for  while  the 
purpose  of  missionaries  is  religious,  they  are  unconsciously, 
perhaps,  yet  of  necessity,  unpaid  commercial  travellers.  They 
speak  the  language  of  the  people  and  penetrate  into  interior 
districts  as  merchants  do  not,  and  the  contents  of  their 
houses,  their  clothing,  their  appliances  of  all  kinds  constitute 
at  each  mission  station  and  as  they  travel  a miniature  exhibi- 
tion of  tho  superior  conveniences  which  foreigners  possess. 
In  this  way  a market  is  made  for  the  merchant  by  the  much- 
abused  missionary  and  his  household. 

Every  one  tries  to  use  missionaries  and  no  one  shows  any 
gratitude  towards  them.  A British  consul  tells  us  that  he 
has  known  mandarins,  whose  hostility  to  missionaries  had 
brought  on  a riot,  to  send  their  valuables  for  safety  to  these 
same  missionaries. 

These  two  sayings  are  current  amongst  the  Chinese : 
“ Worship  the  gods  as  if  they  came,  and  if  you  don’t  it  is  all 
the  same.”  “ Worship  the  gods  as  if  they  were  there,  but  if 
you  worship  not  the  gods  don’t  care.”  People  so  indifferent 
to  their  own  religion  are  not  likely  to  be  much  prejudiced 
against  another  one. 

On  the  subject  of  religion  China  is  perfectly  tolerant. 
Missionaries  are  not  disliked  because  they  preach  Chris- 
tianity, but  because  they  are  foreigners  or  suspected  of  being 
political  agents.  The  people  often  say,  “ We  have  no  objec- 
tion to  Jesus;  doubtless  He  was  good.  Make  an  image  of 
Him  and  put  it  by  the  side  of  our  gods,  and  we  will  knock  our 
heads  before  Him  as  well  as  before  them.  Some  advantage 
may  come  from  so  doing.”  If  missionaries  are  more  fre- 
quently attacked  by  Chinese  mobs  than  other  foreigners,  it  is 
simply  because  they  live  in  districts  remote  from  naval  or 
military  protection.  They  are  in  direct  contact  with  the 
natives,  and  are  the  first,  because  the  handiest,  victims  to  an 
anti-foreign  rising.  When  urged  to  kill  missionaries,  Chinese 


314  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

mobs  do  so  with  regret,  and  I have  often  observed  that  the 
people,  when  let  alone,  seem  to  be  fond  of  the  “ foreign 
teachers.”  It  is  quite  touching  how  even  the  poorest  some- 
times wish  to  give  them  presents. 

Missionaries  may  not  always  have  added  the  wisdom  of  a 
serpent  to  the  harmlessness  of  a dove,  but  as  a class  and 
when  they  have  been  properly  selected  they  are  the  greatest 
force  working  in  China  for  progress.  They  teach  children  in 
their  schools  to  be  clean  and  to  speak  the  truth.  They  have 
done  most  of  what  has  been  done  for  female  elevation.  They 
have  led  the  way  in  establishing  schools  for  Western  educa- 
tion. Text-books  of  almost  every  class  have  been  translated 
by  them. 

As  for  medical  missions,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  exag- 
gerate the  good  they  do.  Yet  even  these  last,  though  they 
are  the  best  advertisement  of  Christianity  to  those  who  have 
benefited  by  them,  are  an  offence  or  stumbling-block  when 
they  are,  as  often  happens,  misunderstood.  Medicine  in 
China  is  still  largely  looked  upon  as  a black  art  akin  to 
sorcery,  and,  when  one  remembers  of  what  loathsome  ingre- 
dients the  drugs  of  the  Chinese  medicine-man  are  often  com- 
posed, one  need  not  wonder  at  the  readiness  with  which 
the  ignorant  masses  are  made  to  believe  that  remedies  so 
efficacious  as  those  administered  by  the  “foreign  devils”  are 
compounded  of  eyes  and  other  parts  of  the  human  body. 
Only  a few  years  ago  it  was  circulated  that  a missionary  stood 
upon  the  wall  of  the  mission  compound  at  Swatow  hooking 
the  eyes  out  of  people  as  they  passed  with  a fishing-rod. 

To  raise  persecution  against  Christians  it  was  said,  at  the 
time  of  the  Boxer  trouble  in  1900,  that  they  had  poisoned  the 
wells  and  marked  houses  with  a red  substance  in  order  that 
those  who  dwelt  in  them  might  be  stricken  with  sickness. 

When  the  last  sacrament  is  administered  to  a Roman 
Catholic  convert  who  is  dying  his  friends  have  sometimes 
been  excluded  from  the  room.  One  or  more  of  these  have 


MISSIONARIES 


315 


peeped  in  and  seen  the  priest  bending  mysteriously  over  the 
sick  man.  This,  coupled  with  the  European  custom  of 
closing  the  eyes  of  the  dead,  may  have  given  some  colour  to 
tho  horrible  imputation  that  missionaries  steal  human  eyes 
for  medicine  or  photography. 

Then  for  unmarried  missionary  girls  to  travel  about,  cither 
alone  or  in  charge  of  a male  missionary,  shocks  at  first 
Chinese  notions  of  morality.  Such  conduct,  it  is  thought  by 
people  who  believe  that  the  place  for  woman  is  tho  hearth, 
can  have  but  one  meaning,  and  to  this  conclusion  they  aro 
assisted  by  the  evil  reputation  of  their  own  nunneries  and 
monasteries. 

However,  the  free  and  friendly  intercourse  of  missionaries 
of  both  sexes  only  causes  suspicion  at  first.  Before  long  it 
becomes  known  that  tho  single  missionary  ladies  are  not 
immoral,  but  vory  much  the  reverse,  and  that  tho  married 
ones  aro  not  playthings  and  servants,  but  companions  on  an 
equality  with  their  husbands,  and  intelligent  advisers  of  them. 
Then  the  Chinese  critics,  changing  their  minds,  begin  to 
think  that  their  own  women  should  be  raised  to  the  same 
level,  and  that  only  foreign  women  working  among  them  can 
bring  about  the  desired  change.  “ Your  wife  can  teach  as 
well  as  you,”  said  a man  to  a missionary.  “ Our  wives  are 
wooden-headed  ; they  know  nothing.” 

Certainly  missionary  ladies  ought  to  receive  a little  training 
in  business  habits.  One  who  had  not  this  advantage  over- 
drew by  mistake  her  banking  account.  When  informed  of 
this  by  her  bankers,  she  wrote  back  that  they  must  be  in 
error  as  there  were  still  several  cheques  in  her  cheque-book. 

The  Chinese  are  very  suspicious,  and  when  they  do  not 
understand  who  people  aro  or  what  is  the  nature  of  their 
work  they  will  believe  any  explanation.  That  a missionary 
should  come  so  far  for  no  other  reason  than  to  teach  a new 
religion  is  unintelligible  to  them.  Surely,  they  think,  behind 
what  seems  only  a harmless  craze  there  lurks  a sinister  design. 


316  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

To  many  a Chinese  a missionary  appears  an  advance  agent  of 
the  gunboat.  Missionaries  come,  territory  goes,  and  it  is 
little  wonder  if  the  Cross  has  come  to  be  thought  of  as  the 
pioneer  of  the  sword. 

Abbe  Hue  tells  how  a mandarin  asked  him  who  the  Lord 
of  Heaven  about  whom  he  preached  was,  and  suggested  that 
he  was  the  Emperor  of  the  French.  Even  now  the  convic- 
tion is  all  too  general  that  the  propagation  of  Christianity 
is  a political  movement.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  Roman 
Catholic  missionaries,  this  is  certainly  not  true  of  Protestant 
ones.  They  object  to  be  made  political  tools  of  their  Govern- 
ments at  home,  and  do  not  want,  if  killed,  to  be  avenged  by- 
executions  enforced  by  gunboats.  They  know  that  if  St. 
Paul  and  the  other  first  apostles  had  been  protected  by  gun- 
boats we  would  not  be  Christians  now. 

The  questions  which  are  asked  missionaries  when  they  go 
for  the  first  time  to  a remote  place  in  China  show  the 
ignorance  that  prevails  about  them  and  the  countries  from 
which  they  come.  If  the  missionary  have  a beard  people 
“stare  themselves  full,”  and  ask  if  he  were  born  with  it. 
Other  questions  will  be  such  as  these : “ Why  do  not  your 
people  shave  their  heads,  as  we  do?”  “Why  do  you  not 
have  black  eyes  like  we;  have  they  faded?”  “Why  do 
foreign  ladies  wear  coverings  on  their  heads  when  they  go 
out?  it  is  just  like  men.”  “ Is  there  a sun  and  a moon  in 
your  country  ? ” “ Are  there  hills  and  trees  ? ” “ Where  is 

the  country  where  the  people  have  one  leg,  one  arm,  one  eye, 
and  where  there  are  only  women?”  A difficult  question  to 
answer  is  the  common  one,  “ Why  was  Jesus  Christ  not  born 
in  China ; how  is  it  we  did  not  hear  of  Him  sooner  ? ” 

All  classes  in  China  are  now  giving  Christianity  a respectful 
hearing.  The  family  bond  is  a help.  They  come  over  in 
families.  A missionary  friend  of  mine  the  other  day  baptized 
a grandfather  aged  fifty-seven,  a son  thirty-five,  and  a grand- 
son eighteen.  Even  the  bad  and  irreligious  lives  of  nominal 


MISSIONARIES  317 

Christians  in  tho  Far  East  cannot  stop  the  progress  of 
mission  work. 

Imitation  is  the  sincerest  flattery,  and  the  preaching  halls 
and  medical  dispensaries  of  Christian  missions  are  being 
copied  by  the  Chinese.  Rooms  are  hired  and  lecturers  paid 
to  preach  Confucianism,  and  well-to-do  men  subscribe  to 
places  where  free  Chinese  medicines  are  given  to  the  poor. 

In  order  to  allay  prejudice  a missionary  should  be  a 
gentleman  in  heart.  The  civilities  to  be  observed  on  entering 
or  leaving  a house,  on  welcoming  guests  or  bidding  them 
farewell,  where  and  when  to  stand  and  sit,  how  to  behave 
at  table — these  things  must  not  be  ignored  by  missionaries 
who  would  make  their  presence  and  their  teaching  acceptable. 

A convert  gets  into  trouble  if  he  gives  up  subscribing  to 
guilds  and  temple  services,  and  the  Christian  Chinaman  who 
refuses  to  perform  ancestral  worship  is  thought  to  receive  the 
curses  not  of  the  living  only,  but  of  five  previous  generations 
of  the  dead.  When  proper  missionaries  are  chosen  they  are 
large-minded  enough  to  understand  and  sympathise  with  such 
difficulties.  They  teach  positively  and  not  negatively,  and 
recognise  what  is  good  in  those  whom  they  try  to  convert — 
as,  for  instance,  that  the  average  Chinaman  obeys  the  Fifth 
Commandment  better  than  does  the  average  Christian. 

Missionaries  in  China  who  do  not  go  about  telling  people 
that  unless  they  believe  this  and  that  without  doubt  they  shall 
perish  everlastingly,  but  who  desire  to  show  a more  excellent 
way  than  the  way  of  Taoism,  or  even  of  Buddhism,  these  men 
should  receive  our  sympathy  and  encouragement,  for  nowhere 
is  missionary  work  as  difficult  as  in  China.  Think,  for 
instance,  of  the  difficulty  of  explaining  to  an  ancestor- 
worshipper  such  words  as,  “If  any  man  come  to  Me  and 
hate  not  his  father,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple.  For  I am 
come  to  set  a man  at  variance  against  his  father.” 

The  divisions  among  Christians  that  are  so  perplexing  to  the 
heathen  ought  not  to  be  put  to  the  account  of  missionaries,  as 


318  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

this  much-maligned  people  did  not  make  them.  And  certainly 
the  missionaries  whom  I knew  in  China  kept  these  sectarian 
distinctions  as  much  as  possible  in  the  background,  and  each 
was  careful  not  to  build  upon  another  man’s  foundation. 
A Chinese  said  to  a friend  of  mine,  “ I am  a Christian,  a 
plopel  (proper)  Christian,  a London  Christian,  all  same  as 
you.”  My  friend  explained  that  there  was  no  superior  brand 
of  Christians  in  London,  hut  the  Chinese  would  persist  in 
calling  himself  a “London  Christian”  because  it  was,  under 
God,  by  means  of  the  London  mission  that  he  was  conveided. 
Would  it  be  just  to  accuse  this  mission  of  making  a new  sect 
called  London  Christians? 

One  of  the  “ Problems  of  the  Far  East  ” that  perplexes 
Lord  Curzon  is  the  missionary  who,  “ taking  with  him  a 
portmanteau  full  of  Bibles,  thinks  that  by  dropping  its 
contents  here  and  there,  he  is  winning  recruits  to  the  fold 
of  Christ.” 

Had  Lord  Curzon  globe-trotted  a little  longer  in  China  he 
would  have  discovered  that  portmanteaus  are  quite  unsuited 
to  the  climate,  and  that  missionaries  do  qot  use  them. 
Certainly  missionaries  have  not  much  time  for  higher 
criticism,  but  few  of  them  can  be  so  ill-instructed  as  to 
think  that  all  the  Bible  is  of  equal  value  or  that  it  can  be 
given  with  safety  to  heathen  people  without  note  or  comment. 
“ What  is  the  educated  Chinaman  likely  to  think,”  asks 
Lord  Curzon,  “ of  Samuel  hewing  Agag  in  pieces  before  the 
Lord  ? ” I fear  that  familiarity  with  the  punishment  of 
lingchi,  or  death  by  many  cuts,  in  China  would  prevent  people 
being  troubled  because  a sort  of  lingchi  was  inflicted  upon 
Agag.  Much  more  in  need  of  softening  and  explanation 
would  an  educated  Chinaman  consider  the  injunction  that 
a man  should  leave  father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife. 

Of  course,  there  are  people  who  have  no  power  of  adaptation 
and  never  should  be  missionaries.  One  such,  before  he  had 
learned  Chinese,  was  asked  to  give  an  address.  “ Say  some- 


MISSIONARIES  319 

thing,”  said  an  old  missionary,  “ and  I will  interpret.”  The 
novice  began,  “ My  friends,  truth  is  relativo  and  absolute.” 
“He  says,”  interpreted  the  man  of  experience,  “ that  ho  is 
very  glad  to  soo  you.” 

Some  Chinese  who  were  meditating  conversion  arc  reported 
to  have  said,  “If  the  foreign  teacher  will  take  care  of  our 
bodies,  we  will  do  him  the  favour  to  seek  the  salvation  of  our 
souls.”  It  is  often  asserted  that  all  Chinese  Christians  are 
like  this — that  they  are  only  “rice  Christians,”  who  pretend 
to  be  converted  in  order  to  get  rice,  money,  or  the  influence 
and  protection  which  is  supposed  to  be  attached,  and  often  is 
attached,  even  by  Chinese  officials,  to  Church  membership. 

There  are  hypocrites  in  China  as  well  as  in  Britain,  but 
that  all  converts  are  of  this  kind  is  proved  to  be  untrue  by 
the  way  Chinese  Christians  suffered  torture  and  death  rather 
than  deny  their  faith  during  the  Boxer  persecutions  of  1900. 
I have  only  known  one  missionary  who,  having  considerable 
private  means,  helped  to  support  his  converts,  and  that  was 
during  the  Boxer  trouble,  when  they  could  not  get  employ- 
ment. Missionaries  are  not  such  fools  as  they  look. 

A tea-grower  near  Foochow  asked  an  Englishman  known 
to  the  writer  to  buy  his  tea.  “No,”  he  replied,  “ I get  as 
much  tea  as  I require  from  my  old  customers.”  “ What ! 
Not  buy  my  tea  ! I Christian  all  same  as  you.”  “ I do  not 
see  any  connection  between  your  tea  and  your  Christianity. 
I only  buy  unmixed  tea.” 

I have  had  named  to  me  many  Christian  Chinese  merchants 
who  lost  much  money  because  they  would  not  keep  open  their 
places  of  business  on  Sunday.  At  Swatow  a man  used  to  go 
on  board  ships  every  Sunday  to  shave  and  cut  hair.  After  he 
was  baptized  he  ceased  to  do  this.  Hearing  of  his  scruples, 
the  captain  of  a ship  laughed  and  said  that  a Chinaman 
would  do  anything  for  dollars.  He  sent  and  offered  him 
twelve  dollars  if  he  would  come  and  cut  his  hair  on  Sunday. 
The  barber  refused  this,  and  also  an  offer  of  twenty  dollars 


320  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

from  a passenger  who  had  made  a bet  that  the  barber  could 
be  bought.  Indeed,  Chinese  Christians  give  more  than 
they  get.  In  many  parts  of  China,  even  very  poor  people 
support  their  Churches,  and  Chinese  who  have  emigrated  to 
Australia,  the  Straits  Settlements,  and  elsewhere,  pay  mis- 
sionaries to  evangelise  their  countrymen  at  home,  notably  at 
Canton. 

The  commonest  criticism  that  is  made  about  missionaries 
is  that  their  charity  should  begin  at  home,  and  that  they 
should  not  abandon  the  perishing  British  heathen.  This 
generally  comes  from  those  who  have  gone  abroad  themselves 
or  from  those  who  are  asked  to  subscribe  to  home  missions. 
In  great  Britain  we  hear  of  people  being  so  much  preached  to 
that  they  are  gospel-hardened,  and  certainly  there  are  enough 
evangelists  there  to  give  every  one  a chance  of  hearing  of 
Christ’s  kingdom. 

As  a matter  of  fact,  however,  nothing  does  the  Church  at 
home  so  much  good  as  thinking  of  and  working  for  the  Church 
abroad.  It  is  the  old  story  of  the  Russian  traveller.  On  the 
point  of  perishing  from  cold  he  stumbled  upon  a man  buried 
in  the  snow.  He  set  to  work  to  pull  him  out  and  rub  him, 
and  the  exercise  kept  in  circulation  his  own  blood.  That 
Church  does  most  for  the  heathen  at  home  that  does  most  for 
the  heathen  abroad. 

Money  lent  to  the  Lord  in  obedience  to  His  command  to 
evangelise  the  world  is  well  invested.  America  and  Great 
Britain  may  one  day  become  not  only  almost  but  altogether 
heathen,  and  we  shall  get  a good  return  for  the  money 
advanced  if  Chinese  and  Indian  Christians  are  sent  to 
reconvert  us. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 


AS  THE  CHINESE  SEE  US 


“Foreign  devils  are  very  singular” — “Just  like  monkeys” — “That’s  the 
devil’s  house” — A foreigner  is  always  suspected — A bare  skin  as  a 
mark  of  respect — Our  European  odour — Foreign  smoke  and  foreign 
dirt — The  want  of  religion  of  foreigners — “ Exceeding  strange  ” — The 
Platonic  intermingling  of  sexes  not  understood  — “ And  she  has 
manners  too  ” — Morbid  unrest — Curious  rather  than  useful. 


HE  theory  of  Chinese  sovereignty  is  that  the  Emperor, 


or  Son  of  Heaven,  is  monarch  of  the  whole  earth,  and 
that  all  other  nations  are  his  subjects  and  tributaries.  Think- 
ing that  it  would  be  a diplomatic  thing  to  do,  Lord  Macartney, 
when  he  went  to  Peking  as  Ambassador,  took  with  him  a 
carriage  and  presented  it  to  the  Emperor  Kienlung.  This 
was  a mistake,  for  the  gift  was  considered  tribute. 

Even  in  the  treaty  ports  there  are  natives  who  have  not 
learned  to  discriminate  between  the  various  nationalities 
represented  there.  In  his  “Chinamen  at  Home”  Rev. 
T.  G.  Selby  thus  writes : “ Travelling  on  a boat  crowded 
with  native  passengers,  I was  amused  at  overhearing  the 
conversation  of  two  simple  countrymen.  ‘ How  much  whiter 
his  skin  is  than  ours ! ’ * Yes,’  said  the  passenger  ad- 

dressed, * foreign  devils  are  very  singular.  They  are  born 
entirely  white  or  entirely  black.’  The  man’s  impression 
obviously  was  that  colour  was  as  uncertain  as  in  a litter  of 
puppies,  and  that  Sikh,  Negro,  and  Englishman  all  came 


21 


321 


322  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


from  the  same  stock.  The  ignorance  was  perhaps  a trifle 
uncommon,  but  the  prejudice  it  represented  is  all  but 
universal.” 

The  Chinese  call  themselves  the  black-haired  race,  and  all 
foreigners  red-headed  devils.  It  is  related  by  Miss  Gordon 
Cumming  that  one  of  her  friends  with  bright  red  hair  was 
travelling  in  a remote  district  of  China  with  a companion 
whose  hair  was  a nut-brown  colour.  Finding  that  they  could 
not  escape  from  the  curiosity  of  the  crowd,  who  struggled  for 
a sight  of  them,  they  suggested  that  if  the  people  must  see 
them  they  should  pay  for  the  privilege.  “ Yes,”  they  cried, 
“ we  will  pay  so  many  cash  for  a good  look  at  you,  but  we 
can  only  pay  half  that  sum  for  looking  at  the  other  foreign 
devil,  as  his  hair  is  not  nearly  so  red.”  The  travellers, 
taking  them  at  their  word,  collected  a large  quantity  of  cash, 
which  they  subsequently  scattered  for  a general  scramble, 
to  the  great  delight  of  all  present. 

Not  knowing  or  forgetting  the  origin  of  their  queue,  the 
Chinese  think  that  it  is  unnatural  for  us  not  to  have  this 
appendage.  In  the  interior  of  the  country  they  will  peep 
under  a missionary’s  hat  to  be  sure  that  there  is  not  one 
coiled  up  inside. 

A Chinese  friend,  who  had  not  the  smallest  idea  of  being 
deficient  in  politeness,  confided  to  the  author  of  “ Chinese 
Characteristics,”  that  when  he  first  saw  foreigners  it  seemed 
most  extraordinary  that  they  should  have  beards  all  round 
their  faces  just  like  monkeys,  but  he  added,  reassuringly, 
“I  am  quite  used  to  it  now.”  This  reminds  us  of  what  the 
people  in  another  place  said  of  a certain  missionary,  “ He 
speaks  our  language ; if  his  whiskers  were  shaven  off  he 
would  be  nearly  as  good  looking  as  we  are.” 

Chinese  children  often  scream  with  fright  when  they  see  a 
European  for  the  first  time,  especially  if  he  have  a red  beard 
like  the  bogey-man  depicted  in  their  picture-books.  The  chil- 
dren thought  that  these  were  mythical  personages — but  no  ! 


AS  THE  CHINESE  SEE  US  323 


there  is  one  of  them  in  the  flesh.  They  run  to  their 
mothers.  Mother  seizes  tho  tearful  little  one  and  carries 
him  into  the  house,  putting  at  the  same  time  her  hand 
before  his  mouth  to  keep  out  the  evil  that  is  supposed  to 
emanate  from  foreign  devils.  Not  long  ago  at  Tientsin  a 
little  girl  got  convulsions  and  literally  died  of  dread  when 
a German  soldier  harmlessly,  as  ho  thought,  chucked  her 
under  the  chin. 

In  tho  lately  acquired  British  territory  opposito  Hong 
Kong,  I heard  a boy,  when  asked  whose  was  a particular 
house,  reply,  “ That’s  the  devil’s  house.”  He  meant  nothing 
more  than  that  the  only  European  in  the  neighbourhood  lived 
there. 

A mandarin,  after  visiting  a missionary  known  to  me, 
questioned  the  missionary’s  house-boy  about  his  master’s 
habits,  as  though  he  were  a wild  beast.  “What  does  he 
eat  ? ” “ How  is  it  cooked  ? ” “ When  does  he  go  out  ? ” 

and  so  on. 

In  the  interior  of  China  a foreigner  is  always  suspected. 
He  is  supposed  to  be  able  to  see  into  the  earth  and  discover 
precious  metals.  If  he  is  a missionary,  he  is  a political  agent 
come  to  get  himself  killed,  so  that  his  death  may  be  an 
excuse  for  land-grabbing  on  the  part  of  some  European  Power. 
If  he  engage  in  famine  relief,  it  is  thought  that  his  ultimate 
object  is  to  carry  off  people  to  his  own  barbarous  country. 
Should  he  offer  any  food  or  drink  to  visitors,  they  think  that 
death  is  in  the  pot.  Even  the  ink  with  which  a book  is 
printed  by  a foreigner  will  be  suspected  of  being  poisoned. 
Many  Chinese  women  are  afraid  to  enter  a foreigner’s  house 
lest  they  should  be  bewitched. 

The  unceremonious  way  in  which  our  officials  go  about 
their  business  seems  undignified  to  the  Chinese.  If,  in  our 
eyes,  mandarins  make  a poor  show  when  carried  through 
streets  in  the  centre  of  a crowd  of  fantastically  dressed  street 
boys  and  beggars,  to  the  Chinese  our  consuls  and  people  in 


324  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

authority  cannot  seem  of  much  account  when  they  walk  about 
with  pipe  or  cigar  in  mouth,  and  with,  perhaps,  no  other 
retinue  than  a wife  or  a dog. 

Chinese  ladies  dress,  and  do  not  undress,  for  evening 
parties,  so  they  are  greatly  shocked  when  they  hear  that 
Western  women  do  the  reverse.  One  of  the  things  that 
astonished  the  author  of  “Those  Foreign  Devils”  was  that 
when  female  foreign  devils  go  to  Court  they  regard  “ a bare 
skin  as  a mark  of  respect.”  Chinese  ladies  are  also  con- 
cerned because  their  European  sisters  do  not  wear  visible 
trousers,  and  they  cannot  understand  how  they  eat  when 
their  waists  are  girt  in.  For  a woman  to  show  her  shape  is 
considered  in  China  most  immodest.  Even  upon  a man 
tight  clothes  can  only  be  explained  if  the  poor  fellow  have  not 
enough  cloth  to  cover  himself  properly.  How,  they  ask,  for 
pity’s  sake,  can  Europeans,  with  their  closely  fitting  gar- 
ments, catch  vermin  ? A Chinese  will  feel  the  board-like 
shirt-front  of  a Westerner  with  wonder,  and  ask  if  his  collar 
does  not  cut  the  wearer’s  throat. 

I saw  one  day,  at  the  Peak  tramway  station  at  Hong  Kong, 
half  a dozen  Chinese  ladies,  apparently  visitors  to  the  island, 
dressed  in  the  height  of  their  fashion.  Some  British  ladies 
stepped  out  of  the  cars  wearing  gowns  that  showed  their 
figures  and  hats  stuck  over  with  artificial  flowers  and  bits  of 
birds.  When  they  had  passed,  the  Chinese  ladies,  pointing 
at  their  compressed  waists  and  inartistic  headgear,  laughed 
in  a way  that  should  stagger  European  complacency. 

Western  women  can  see  themselves  as  the  Chinese  see 
them  by  looking  at  a collection  of  wax  or  paper  dolls  on  a 
street  stall  at  China  New  Year’s  time.  They  will  probably 
find  some,  as  I have,  dressed  in  European  women’s  fashion, 
as  understood,  or  caricatured  by,  the  Chinese. 

As  for  the  clothes  of  Western  men,  they  are  thought  to  be 
melancholy,  undignified,  and  generally  absurd.  “ What,” 
they  ask,  “ can  be  worse  for  the  health  than  to  have  the 


AS  TIIE  CHINESE  SEE  US  325 


waistcoat  of  evening  dross  opon  in  front,  thus  exposing  tho 
chest,  a most  vulnerable  part  ? ” 

A friend  told  the  writer  that  the  first  time  ho  gave  a 
swallow-tail  coat  to  a new  Chinese  servant  to  brush  ho  saw 
tho  boy  round  the  corner  holding  the  garment  up  to  the  light 
and  shaking  with  mirth.  “ Why  was  it  cut  so  in  front  and  at 
the  tails,  what  were  the  two  buttons  behind  for  ; how  did  the 
thing  go  on  ? ” 

The  Chinese  think  it  strange  that  we  should  wear  a hat 
in  summer  out  of  doors  when  it  is  warm,  and  take  it  off 
indoors  in  the  depth  of  winter.  They  hold  a fan  boforo  that 
part  of  the  bare  head  or  face  whore  the  sun  would  strike, 
which  is  surely  more  sensible  than  our  plan  of  wearing  a 
headdress  in  warm  weather. 

But,  indeed,  we  have  to  consider  not  only  how  the  Chinese 
see  us,  but  how  they  smell  us,  for  what  they  call  our  Euro- 
pean odour  is  quite  as  nauseous  to  them  as  their  yellow  smell 
is  to  us.  Think  of  that,  ye  well-tubbed  Britishers ! A 
missionary  friend,  who  is  a very  clean  man,  told  me  that 
he  has  often  been  pained  by  seeing  Chinese  hold  their  noses 
when  talking  to  him.  They  say  that  we  smell  rank  because 
we  eat  beef. 

Celestial  dislike  and  prejudice,  however,  is  more  than  skin 
deep.  China  is  economically  independent,  and  can  produce 
what  she  wants  herself.  For  this  reason  foreigners  are 
regarded  as  intruders  who  bring  hurtful  things  and  set  bad 
examples. 

Dr.  Legge,  who  laboured  for  forty  years  in  China,  had  the 
following  conversation  with  Kwo  Sung-tao  after  his  arrival 
in  London  as  Chinese  ambassador  in  1877.  “ You  know,” 

said  the  Chinaman,  “ both  England  and  China ; which 
country  do  you  say  is  the  better  of  the  two?  ” Dr.  Legge 
replied,  “ England.”  The  ambassador  was  disappointed, 
and  added,  “ I mean  looking  at  them  from  a moral  stand- 
point— from  the  standpoint  of  righteousness  and  benevo- 


326  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

lence.”  “After  some  demur  and  fencing,”  writes  Dr.  Legge, 
“I  replied  again,  ‘England.’  I never  saw  a man  more 
surprised.  He  pushed  his  chair  hack,  got  on  his  feet,  took  a 
turn  across  the  room,  and  cried  out,  ‘ Then  how  is  it  that 
England  insists  on  our  taking  her  opium?  ’ ” It  is  significant 
that  the  Chinese  call  opium  foreign  smoke  and  foreign  dirt. 

In  a memorial  which  was  addressed  to  the  Emperor  of 
China  in  1884  by  the  High  Commissioner  Peng  Yu-lin,  it 
was  stated  that  “ since  the  treaties  have  permitted  foreigners 
from  the  West  to  spread  their  doctrines,  the  morals  of  the 
people  have  been  greatly  injured.” 

A Chinaman  defined  a Christian  as  one  who  “eats  beef” 
(thought  a wrong  thing  to  do  in  the  south  of  China)  and  says 
“ God  damn  ! ” It  is  to  be  feared  that  this  is  not  an  un- 
common impression  of  the  religion,  or  want  of  religion,  of 
foreigners  that  is  formed,  at  least  in  the  treaty  ports.  The 
Chinese  say  that  while  we  profess  Christianity,  its  spirit 
influences  our  actions  far  less  than  do  economic  considerations, 
that  Christianity  is  even  less  to  us  than  is  Confucianism 
to  them,  and  that  it  is  like  our  impertinence  to  send 
missionaries  to  China. 

The  Chinese  think  that  we  neglect  and  ignore  the  five 
great  relationships  which  are  taught  to  them  in  their  classics 
— the  relationship  of  sovereign  to  subject,  of  father  to  son, 
of  husband  to  wife,  of  younger  brother  to  older,  and  of  friend 
to  friend. 

Celestials  observe  that  in  Western  countries  when  a son  comes 
of  age  he  goes  where  he  likes,  does  what  he  chooses,  and  has 
no  necessary  connection  with  his  parents  nor  they  with  him, 
and  they  think  this  the  behaviour  of  a grown  calf  or  colt  to  the 
cow  or  mare,  proper  for  brutes  but  not  for  human  beings. 
By  the  Chinese,  trees  are  raised  for  shade  and  children  for 
old  age. 

Writing  of  the  things  which  astonished  him  most  in 
Europe,  a Chinaman  said,  “ When  sons  and  daughters  arc 


AS  THE  CHINESE  SEE  US  327 

grown  up,  the  parents  need  no  longer  look  after  them,  hut 
may  let  them  bo  altogether  their  own  masters.  Children 
then  regard  their  parents  as  strangers,  and  merely  show  them 
courtesy  when  they  see  them.  The  most  respectful  form  of 
this  courtesy  is  to  apply  their  mouths  to  the  right  and  left  lips 
(sic)  of  the  elder  with  a smacking  sound.”  The  kissing  in 
which  foreign  devils  indulge  seemed  to  their  critic  “ exceed- 
ingly strange  ” (“Those  Foreign  Devils,”  p.  81).  Ho  tries 
in  the  words  quoted  to  make  intelligible  that  which  in  China 
is  an  unknown  practice.  Even  a mother  does  not  kiss  her 
baby,  though  she  will  press  it  to  her  cheek. 

The  Chinese  arc  of  opinion  that  our  marriage  laws  are 
very  foolish.  “ Only  fancy,”  they  say,  “ a European  cannot 
legally  have  a concubine,  even  when  he  has  no  son,  and  his 
wife  is  old  or  no  longer  pleasing  to  him.”  The  Platonic 
intermingling  of  sexes  in  Western  society  the  Chinese  do  not 
understand  ; they  are  sure  that  our  treatment  of  women  is  a 
mixture  of  imbecility,  ill-breeding,  and  buffoonery. 

A Chinese  opponent  of  railways  lately  wrote  that  they 
would  be  useless  in  China  as  far  as  women  are  concerned. 
“ The  wives  and  daughters  of  a European  (sic)  take  no 
pleasure  in  staying  at  home ; but,  in  the  case  of  our  woman- 
kind, gadding  about  is  held  in  great  disrepute.” 

The  author  of  a native  work  called  “ The  Sights  of 
Shanghai”  complains  that  foreigners  and  their  wives 
stroll  about  in  the  public  gardens  arm-in-arm,  and 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  without  any  bashfulness  whatever.” 
For  men  and  women  to  talk  together  in  public  is,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Chinese,  bad,  but  for  them  to  shake 
hands  or  take  each  other’s  arm  is  barefaced  immorality. 
Etiquette  in  the  Flowery  Land  requires  that  men  and 
women  passing  things  to  each  other  should  lay  them  upon 
a table  instead  of  handing  them  directly.  So  far  is  this 
carried  that  one  of  the  classic  books  raises  the  question 
whether,  if  a woman  is  drowning,  it  is  permitted  even  to 


328  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

her  brother-in-law  to  take  her  by  the  hand  to  save  her  life. 
This  being  so,  we  may  imagine  what  the  Chinese  think  of 
Western  ladies  who  dance  with  the  arms  of  unrelated  men 
about  their  waists.  The  amah  (or  nurse)  of  a friend  of 
mine,  when  told  by  her  mistress  that  this  was  really  done, 
exclaimed,  “ Vely  same!”  (“Very  shameful”). 

A Chinese  critic  of  “ foreign  devils  ” thus  describes  a 
European  dancing  party.  “ Invitations  are  sent  to  an 
equal  number  of  men  and  women,  and  after  they  are  all 
assembled,  tea  and  sugar,  milk  and  bread,  and  the  like,  are 
set  out  as  aids  to  conversation.  Then  the  host  decides  what 
man  is  to  be  the  partner  of  what  woman,  and  what  woman  of 
what  man.  This  being  settled,  with  both  arms  grasping  each 
other,  they  leave  the  table  in  pairs,  and  leap,  skip,  posture 
and  prance,  for  their  mutual  gratification.  A man  and  a 
woman  previously  unknown  to  one  another  may  skip  together.” 

When  the  Chinese  hear  of  the  Christian  precept  that  a 
man  should  leave  his  father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife, 
they  are,  if  good  Confucianists,  horror-stricken ; for  Con- 
fucianism requires  a man  to  cleave  to  his  father  and  mother, 
and  to  compel  his  wife  to  do  the  same. 

We  say  that  the  Chinese  worship  their  ancestors,  and  they 
retort  that  Western  nations  worship  their  wives.  They  hear 
of  men  amongst  us  adoring  and  being  devoted  to  their  wives, 
and  if  any  of  them  get  hold  of  the  Prayer-book  of  the  English 
Church  they  see  that  when  a man  is  being  married  he  says 
to  the  woman,  “ With  my  body  I thee  worship.”  Is  not 
this  proof  positive  ? 

Some  of  the  manners  that  do  us  credit  astonish  the 
Chinese.  They  think,  for  instance,  that  it  is  very  strange 
we  should  hand  chairs  to  women,  make  way  for  them  in  the 
streets,  carry  things  for  them,  condescend  to  eat  with  them, 
or  to  use  the  same  basin  that  they  have  used,  and  that  wc 
should  treat  them  generally  as  equals,  if  not  superiors. 

Two  Chinese,  handsomely  dressed  in  the  native  style  of 


AS  THE  CHINESE  SEE  US  329 

gontlcmcn,  sat  down  to  dinner  in  the  saloon  of  a steamer 
plying  between  Canton  and  Hong  Kong.  They  both  under- 
stood English,  and  one  was  an  Oxford  graduate.  “ Are 
Chinese  allowed  to  travel  first-class,  Captain  ? ” called  out  an 
American  lady.  “ Oh,  yes,”  replied  the  skipper,  “ we  take 
Chinese,  Americans,  and  all  nations.”  Then  the  very  lady- 
like Yankee,  turning  to  the  Oxford  graduate,  asked,  “ And 
how  do  you  like  our  food,  and  our  knives  and  forks, 
John  ? ” The  Chinaman  answered  politely  that  he  was 
becoming  almost  as  expert  with  knife  and  fork  as  with 
chopsticks.  After  a little  while,  turning  to  the  captain  at 
whose  side  ho  sat,  he  softly  asked,  “ Do  you  wonder  now 
that  we  Chinese  are  not  in  love  with  foreigners  ? ” I had 
this  from  the  captain  himself. 

The  Chinese  think  that  our  manners  are  those  of  bar- 
barians. It  is  not  necessary  or  possible  for  Europeans  living 
in  China  to  learn  the  three  hundred  rules  of  ceremony  or 
the  three  thousand  precepts  of  behaviour  that  are  laid  down 
in  Chinese  classics,  but  we  might  put  into  practice  a few  of 
the  elementary  principles  of  Christianity,  and  then  we  would 
be  thought  to  be  almost  as  good  as  Confucianists.  Certainly 
the  foreigner  who  does  not  take  the  trouble  to  learn  even  the 
alphabet  of  Chinese  politeness  cannot  avoid  giving  frequent 
offence  unconsciously.  For  instance,  if  he  wear  spectacles 
and  do  not  remove  them  when  a visitor  comes  into  his  room, 
he  will  be  thought  very  rude.  The  Chinese  strongly  object  to 
be  looked  at  through  glasses. 

When  we  show  manners  the  Chinese  are  surprised.  A 
lady  told  me  that  on  a recent  occasion,  when  she  went  into  a 
shop  at  Canton,  the  door  was  soon  blocked  up  by  a crowd  of 
idle  gazers.  My  friend,  who  speaks  Cantonese  well,  said  to  the 
crowd  in  that  dialect,  “ I beg  your  pardon,  would  you  allow 
me  to  go  out?”  They  at  once  made  room  for  her,  and  she 
heard  them  remarking,  “ She  speaks  our  language,  and  she 
has  manners  too  ! ” 


330  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 

The  Chinese  do  not  think  that  the  subjects  upon  which  we 
examine  our  students  are  as  important  as  they  seem  to  us. 
At  the  time  of  a recent  examination  for  degrees  at  Peking  the 
conversation  of  a Chinese  official  and  of  an  English  one 
turned  on  the  examinations.  The  former  remarked,  “ I 
understand  that  examinations  in  the  West  are  all  about 
clocks,  watches,  and  such  things  — the  mechanical  arts.” 

Our  idea  of  progress  is  to  have  railways  and  other  means  of 
motion,  and  to  be  always  moving  about.  To  the  Chinese 
this  seems  to  be  morbid  unrest.  They  say  that  we  do  not 
live,  so  intent  are  we  in  increasing  the  means  of  living,  and 
that  in  consequence  we  are  always  discontented. 

The  Chinese  highly  approve  of  the  tramway  cars,  lavatories, 
and  fire-engines  of  the  West,  but  many  of  our  contrivances 
are,  in  the  opinion  of  the  educated,  curious  rather  than  useful, 
and  in  that  of  the  ignorant  connected  with  magic,  and  with 
magic  Confucius  warned  them  to  have  nothing  to  do.  What- 
ever he  may  pretend  for  the  sake  of  advantage,  the  most  un- 
progressive yellow  man  despises  the  most  inventive  white 
man.  The  inventiveness  of  the  latter  is,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
former,  no  more  worthy  of  respect  than  is  the  cunning  of  a 
fox  or  the  strength  of  an  elephant. 

Still,  we  never  know  what  a Chinese  is  feeling  under  his 
cloak  of  stolidity.  One  did  allow  himself  this  expression  of 
surprise  when  he  saw  for  the  first  time  a train  on  the  new 
railway  at  Canton,  “No  pullee,  no  pushee,  but  go  like 
hellee  ! ” The  huge  steamers,  too,  that  glide  into  Hong 
Kong,  with  apparently  nothing  to  move  them,  seem  very 
magical. 

When  we  object  to  the  smells  in  Chinese  cities,  the 
inhabitants  say,  “ They  are  surface  smells;  they  will  evapo- 
rate,” and  rightly  think  that  their  system  of  drainage,  or 
rather  of  no  drainage,  is  far  less  dangerous  than  is  our 
underground  drainage. 

Few  Chinese  visitors  to  England  think  as  much  of  us 


AS  THE  CHINESE  SEE  US  331 


as  wo  do  of  ourselvos.  Rather  thoy  are  shocked  at  the 
foulness  of  our  city  slums,  at  the  drunkenness  and  licentious- 
ness upon  the  streets,  at  our  murder  and  divorco  records,  at 
the  figures  of  the  national  drink-bill. 

Chinese  who  have  travelled  in  Europe  say  that  our  system 
of  having  a different  currency  in  each  country,  however  near 
to  each  other,  is  very  inconvenient.  This  is  true,  but  it  docs 
not  come  well  from  those  who  have  coins  of  which  it  takes 
about  a thousand  to  mako  a dollar.  In  their  opinion  our 
prisons  are  absurdly  comfortable,  but  they  admiro  the  school 
system  by  which  we  try  to  keep  people  out  of  prison. 

The  Viceroy  of  Canton  once  said  to  Sir  Henry  Blake, 
Governor  of  Hong  Kong,  from  whom  I heard  it,  “ I cannot 
understand  you  English.  You  keep  people  more  comfortable 
in  prison  than  over  they  were  in  their  lives,  and  expect  in  this 
way  to  prevent  crime.  Just  send  some  of  those  ruffians  who 
go  from  us  to  Hong  Kong  back  to  me,  and  I’ll  cut  off  their 
heads.  Why  go  to  the  expense  of  keeping  alive  those  who 
will  not  work  for  a living?  ” 

The  Chinese  say  that  Europeans  do  not  know  how  to  make 
tea.  To  put  milk  and  sugar  into  it  is  as  horrible,  in  their 
opinion,  as  it  would  be  in  ours  to  put  them  into  old  port  wine. 
Either  milk  or  sugar  destroys  bouquet  and  flavour. 

The  Chinese  and  our  interpretation  of  things  are  so  different ! 
Here  is  an  illustration.  To  bring  me  to  conduct  Divine  Service 
at  two  forts  at  Hong  Kong,  a steam  launch  used  to  be  hired 
by  Government.  Orders  were  given  to  the  Chinese  cock- 
swain, and  these  he  wrote  in  his  own  language  on  a piece  of 
paper.  A friend  of  mine  finding  one  of  these  papers  and 
knowing  Chinese,  thus  translated  it  to  me,  “ To  fetch 

the  old  man  who  tells  stories  to  the  soldiers  in  fort ” 

The  Chinese  thought  that  my  craft  was  the  same  as  that 
of  his  countrymen,  who  earn  a living  by  spinning  yarns  to 
the  crowd  at  street  corners.  After  all,  the  Gospel  is  “ the 
old,  old  story.” 


332  JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  HOME 


The  Chinese  must  misunderstand  us  as  often  as  we  mis- 
understand them.  The  regimental  pet  of  the  Royal  Welsh 
Regiment  is  a large  white  goat.  When  a battalion  of  the 
regiment  was  in  Hong  Kong  the  animal  used  to  be  led  before 
the  band  by  its  silver-mounted  head-collar  every  Sunday 
when  they  marched  to  the  parade  service.  It  was,  indeed, 
the  most  regular  church-goer  in  Hong  Kong.  A crowd  of 
Chinese,  many  of  them  visitors  to  Hong  Kong,  would  wait 
outside  the  Church  to  see  the  battalion  march  up.  One  day 
the  general’s  wife,  observing  these  people  looking  at  the  goat, 
remarked  to  the  writer,  “ The  Chinese  must  think  that  we 
worship  that  goat!”  “ Certainly,”  I answered;  “with  far 
less  to  go  upon,  a Western  globe-trotter  would  dub  the 
Chinese  goat-worshippers.” 


Index 


Abb£  Hoc,  196,  204,  278,  316 
Acupuncture,  126 
Amoy,  63,  64,  66,  68,  174 

Banyan-trees,  68 

Beebe,  Dr. , 72,  73 

Beetles,  26 

Birds,  26,  96 

Bogue  Forts,  the,  44 

Boxers,  34,  307,  314,  319 

Bridge  of  Ten  Thousand  Ages,  67 

Buddhism,  258-261,  293 

Buffaloes,  73,  74 

Canton,  55 ; sights  of,  45-49  ; streets, 
50-52;  water  population,  52-54; 
82,  95,  111,  112,  119,  231,  264,  272, 
284 

Chang  Chi  Tung,  72 
Chang  Kung,  142 
Chefoo,  34,  43 

Chinese  village  life,  80-85 ; strolling 
players,  86-88 ; habits  and  customs, 
90-98 ; skill,  99 ; humour,  100, 
105,  236  ; organising  power,  101 ; 
economy,  102;  gambling  propen- 
sities, 103, 104-106 ; food,  107-118 ; 
medicines,  119-129 ; clothing,  ISO- 
137  ; houses,  138-144 ; gardens, 


145,  146;  servants,  147-153,  312; 
industry,  154-156;  marriage,  157- 
166 ; death  and  burial,  167-175 
mourning,  176-180;  boys,  181-189 
girls,  190-199  ; education,  200-211 
manners,  212-219 ; government, 
220-228  ; punishments,  229-239  ; 
soldiers,  240-249 ; superstition,  262- 
278  ; temples,  277-292  ; priests, 
293-299 ; festivals,  300-307  ; criti- 
cism, 326-332 
Chinkiang,  72 
City  of  the  Dead,  47-49 
Coal  Hill,  36 
Cock’s  Comb  Bock,  58 
Confucius,  136,  152,  187,  207,  250- 
256,  286 

Confucius,  Temple  of,  38,  73 
Crickets,  96,  297 

Cumming,  Miss  Gordon,  198,  290, 
322 

Curzon,  Lord,  318 

Dragon-boat  Festival,  289-290 
Duck  farms,  59,  60 
Dutch  Folly  Island,  57 

Emperor  of  China,  41,  204,  220,  221, 
222,  227,  238,  269,  321 


INDEX 


334 

Emperor  Yung  Ching,  287 
Empress  of  China,  41,  221 
Empress-Dowager,  226,  237 

Faatee,  50,  284 
Fans,  132,  133 
Fan’tan,  32,  103 
Fatshan,  50 
Fengshui,  262,  263 
Foochow,  63,  67-69,  208 
Food,  107-118 
Forbidden  City,  the,  41,  42 
Fortune-tellers,  266,  267 
Fruit-trees,  44,  45 
Fu-hsi,  286 

Han  River,  74,  75 
Hankow,  74,  75 
Han- Yang,  74,  75 
Hong  Kong,  23  ; its  liberty,  24  ; 
beauties,  25,  26 ; climate,  27,  28 ; 
society,  29-32 ; 33,  88,  156,  245, 
264,  270,  272,  309,  331,  332 
Hung  Shu,  62 
Hung-wu,  40 
Hue,  103 
Hwasang,  69 

Ichang,  75-78 
Imperial  City,  41 

Kong-Moon,  56 
Kiukiang,  74 
Kowloon,  23 
Kouan-tse,  99 
Kuanti,  36 
Kwangsi,  243 
Kwan  Yu,  286 
Kwe-lin,  69 
Kwo  Sung-t&o,  325 

Labour,  77 
Lama  Monastery,  37 
Laoutsze,  256-257 


Legge,  Dr.,  325 
Little,  Mr.  Archibald,  86 
Little,  Mrs.  Archibald,  294 
Lotus  flowers,  145 

Macao,  32 

Macartney,  Lord,  321 
Mahommedanism,  261 
Maitreya,  37,  38 
Manchus,  136,  137 
Mark’s  Head  Rock,  58 
Mencius,  185,  186 
Min  River,  67 
Ming  tombs,  73 

Missionaries,  308  ; their  unpopularity, 
309,  310 ; influence,  311,  312 ; use- 
fulness, 313-320 
Monasteries,  37,  293-298 
Monkeys,  78 
Moths,  26 

Nam  Hoi,  48 
Nanking,  72,  73 
Nantai,  67,  264 
Nganking,  73 
Ngu  Hieng  Kui,  285 
Ningpo,  95,  263,  291,  292 
Nunneries,  299 

Opium,  101,  117,  226,  232,  284,  326 
Oxley’s  School  for  Blind  Boys,  Miss, 
69 

Pagoda  Island,  67 
Pak  Tai,  59 

Parker,  Mr.  E.  H.,  205,  223 
Peak,  the,  26-28,  44,  156,  324 
Pciho  River,  34,  43 

Peking,  33,  36-40,  42-43,  63,  73,  209, 
242,  244 
Prisons,  48,  49 
Prospect  Hill,  36 
Proverbs,  98 
Pyramid  Hill,  76 


Rats,  59,  111 


INDEX 


335 


Sampans,  52,  54 
Sam  Shui,  59 
Selby,  Rev.  T.  G.,  321 
Shanghai,  43,  70,  71,  172 
Signboards,  50 
Shiu-hing,  62 
Slipper-boats,  53 
Stewart,  Rev.  Robert,  69 
Suifu,  113 

Summer  Palace,  42,  43 
Swatow,  63,  65,  66 

Taoism,  256-258,  293-297 
Taku,  33 
Taku  bar,  34 

Temple  of  Heaven,  40,  41 ; of  Con- 
fucius, 38,  73 ; of  the  Medicine 
King,  45 ; of  the  Five  Rams,  46 ; 
of  the  God  of  the  City,  46 ; 
Monkey  and  Stork,  54  ; of  the  God 
of  the  North,  59  ; of  Ten  Thousand 
Rocks,  66,  67 ; building  and  uses, 
272-292 
Tientsin,  33,  34 


Tigers,  60,  74 
Tonku, 43 

Trees,  25,  26,  44,  45,  50,  62,  65,  66, 
68,  145 

Tsing  Ming,  179,  180 
Tsao,  303,  304 
Tse-hsi,  237 
Tu  Chifing  Kui,  285 

Wall  literature,  64,  65 
Wan  ch’ang,  286 
Wat  Yuen,  289 
Weeping  Willow  Rock,  58 
Wei-hai-wei,  33-35,  245 
West  River,  55-60 
Whangpoo  River,  70 
White  Mountains,  47,  54 
Wolfe,  Archdeacon,  68,  69 
Wuchang,  74,  75,  247 
Wuchow,  61,  62,  264 
Wuhu,  73 
Wusung,  70 

Yanq  Kuo-Chdno,  221 
Yangtze  River,  70,  79 


cTFie  (Srcsbatn  |)rcss, 

UNWIN  BROTHERS,  LIMITED, 
WOKING  AND  LONDON. 


Date  Due 


irff 


